Embrace of Destiny
by Mr. Spinner
Summary: The Door has been sealed. Sora and Riku are gone, and Kairi is left alone on the Islands. But after a mysterious dream, a sorcerer appears and offers to train her in her undiscovered power. To tap into her own vast potential. Under his guidance, can a Princess bloom into a Knight? Set immediately after KH1. Read & Review!
1. Chapter 1

**The Embrace of Destiny**

 _I sense Light within this girl…_

What?

 _Yes, I'm quite certain she's someone we're supposed to protect …_

Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!

 _One day, when you're in trouble, the Light within you will lead you to the Light of another. Someone to keep you safe …_

'The Light of another'? You mean So-

 _Kairi. Something tells me I didn't run into you by accident …_

Kairi's eyes fluttered open, revealing inky blackness. It felt like … like she was surrounded by water, but … she felt … calm. Serene. Like she was in her bed at home. Bubbles floated up from her soft breaths, another sign that she was underwater. But how was she breathing, then? Why was she so calm?

She slowly tipped forward, landing on her feet on the seabed. The redhead looked around her, baffled at her surroundings. Was she dreaming? she took a step forward-

She flinched back at a sudden bright light. Scores of doves emerged from the seabed to fly in a whirling flock around her and then away. She watched, stunned, as the flock faded into the distance. After a few moments, her shock wore off and she looked down.

Only to be caught by another surprise.

Kairi stood on a huge stained-glass surface, glowing with lavender light. The stained glass depicted … her, with her eyes closed, lying on the rim of the circular platform. The edge was dotted by interchanging symbols of paopu fruits and stylized hearts. Before her own image sat images of those she held dear. In the center was Sora, his goofy grin ever present. To Sora's right was Riku, with his cool and collected smirk. And to Sora's left was a beautiful woman with sapphire hair and eyes, a gentle smile gracing her lovely face.

Memories tickled the edge of Kairi's mind at the sight of the woman. Who was she, and why was she so familiar?

 _So much to do, so little time … Take your time, Princess._

There it was again! That voice! A smooth, soothing, feminine voice. One that was as familiar as the image of the woman in blue.

 _One door has been shut. But the journey is far from over. So step forward … if you can …_

A faint column of light formed above the center of the platform. _Station_. The word appeared out of nowhere, but it felt right. Kairi, violet eyes narrowed in suspicion, stepped forward and into the light. The column split into three slowly moving apart. Within the three new columns appeared three objects. Weapons.

 _Power sleeps within you. Give it form … and it will give you strength. Choose wisely._

'Okay,' Kairi thought, just a touch sarcastically. Assuming this was a strange dream, she decided to go along with it. The redhead chose a direction and approached the first tool. Hanging blade-down was a shining sword, a familiar symbol etched into its crossguard. Kairi gently took hold of the handle and removed it from the column of light.

 _The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction. Is this the power you seek?_

Kairi thought it over for a few moments before hanging the sword back up. Invincible courage was all well and good, but even fools could have courage. And without wisdom, that "terrible destruction" could do unspeakable things. She had a brief thought of Riku before forcefully brushing it aside. Riku was her friend, and no one was perfect.

Departing from the first column, Kairi approached what looked like a red-and-black shield, emblazoned with that familiar symbol. She reached up with both hands and took it down.

 _The power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all. Is this the power you seek?_

Protection. Now that seemed a little better. The ability to protect others was the only reason she would want power in the first place. The shield felt heavy in her hands, but not unbearably. It felt like it could repel anything that struck against it. She felt an urge to take it, but something inside told her not to.

Well, it wouldn't be fair to make a decision without investigating the last option.

She hung the shield back up and approached the final column. In the light hung a green staff, capped in blue with the symbol from the previous weapons. A sense of peace seemed to emanate from the rod. The redhead took it down and held it in her hands.

 _The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the power you seek?_

Mystic? As in magic? Kairi's mind flashed to a hazy memory, tinted with pink. A memory from her time hidden within a certain boy's heart. A gloved hand that was not her own reached toward a lanky humanoid dog bearing a shield. With a wave, green light surrounded the weary knight and he rose up, his wounds and weariness gone as if they had never been.

Inner strength … that seemed even better than courage. And magic, she had learned, was adaptable. It could fit any situation, as long as one had the wisdom to use it well. Kairi wrestled with the choice for a second longer, and nodded to herself. The staff disappeared in a flash of light, and she felt something stir within her. Like a candle being lit within her heart.

 _Your path is set. Now, what will you give up in exchange?_

Kairi turned to look at her previous choices. With a firm set in her shoulders, she approached the rightmost column and snatched the sword from the air. Like the staff, it vanished from her grasp.

 _You have chosen the power of the mystic. You have surrendered the power of the warrior. Is this the form you choose?_

Kairi nodded in affirmation, some instinct telling her that speaking would be unneeded.

As if in response to her silent declaration, the station trembled beneath her. Cracks formed in the glass surface and the station shattered beneath her feet, leaving her to plummet into the inky void. A wordless, soundless shriek escaped her as another station emerged from the emptiness, this one glowing sky-blue with an image of Sora, along with Riku, herself, Donald, and Goofy. Kairi crossed her arms in front of her face in fear … and brought them down as she felt herself gently lowered to the station's surface.

In a flash, the staff from before appeared in her hand.

 _You have gained the power to fight._

From the surface of the station emerged … something she had never seen before. They were vaguely shaped like housecat-sized lions, composed of shimmering iridescent flames. Green orbs of light stood where eyes would be, and a jagged dash in place of the mouth. The … creatures surrounded her, their postures aggressive.

One leapt at her and her arms moved as if with a mind of their own, the staff swinging and striking the creature out of the air to disappear in a burst of glowing platinum mist. Kairi had no time to wonder how she'd done that when two other creatures attacked. And just like before, her body acted faster than her mind, twirling out of the way and striking the creatures' backs.

Spin, strike, cartwheel, duck, strike! Like some kind of violent dance.

The remaining creatures shrunk back into the surface of the station, and the silvery mist seemed to spread across the glassy surface. The mist grew thicker around Kairi's ankles and she abruptly sunk to her knees, soon followed by the rest of her body.

Kairi tried to fight down her panic, the icy terror spreading through her veins. She thrashed in feral terror until she felt a solid surface beneath her. With deep breaths, her heart rate returned to normal, and she opened to eyes to find herself on yet another station.

This one was violet and depicted Riku, armed with the demonic-looking sword she had seen in her fragmented memories and an upraised hand filled with dark flames. Before him resided the images of Sora and herself, as well as a kind-looking mouse, a strong-looking brunette man she didn't recognize, and … Ansem? Kairi shook off that disturbing thought and focused on what was around her.

At the far end of the station appeared a faintly-pink, wrought-iron double-door. Kairi approached the doors and took hold of the handles. She tried to open them, but they stayed firmly shut. She took a step back to consider her next move … and the doors opened themselves, revealing a piercing light. Kairi winced at the brightness, but stepped forward with determination and into the light.

The light soon faded to reveal the Grand Hall of the castle at Hollow Bastion. The carpet was emblazoned with the symbol of the Heartless, the jar-like vessels that held her fellow Princesses carved into the walls. In the distance, up the staircase and beyond a large platform, she could see the heart-shaped vessel of the Final Keyhole.

The one Sora had almost destroyed himself to complete, to save her.

Brushing off the icy pit of guilt in her stomach, as well as the heartache at her best friend's selfless sacrifice, Kairi's attention was drawn by three denizens of the room, all standing calm and serene, as if waiting for her. All of them seemed familiar, as if she knew them without ever having met them.

 _Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, you must understand yourself._

Kairi shrugged at the unusual request and approached the nearest girl, one about her own age. She had skin pale as milk, framed by bobbed hair as dark as ebony. Brown eyes filled with innocence sat above a ruby-red mouth. She was dressed in a dress with a high white collar, blue bodice with poofy sleeves, and a yellow skirt.

"What is most important to you?" she asked, her voice high and tinkling like glass. Even with the unexpected question, Kairi hardly paused before answering.

"Friendship," she said clearly. As far as she was concerned, friendship and love were what made life worth living. The girl nodded with a smile.

Kairi moved on to the next woman, this one seemingly in her late-teens. She had strawberry-blonde hair in an up-do, kind blue eyes and lightly-tanned skin. The woman was dressed in an elegant white ball gown that sparkled like diamonds, her hair held back by a matching headband.

"What do you want in life?" the woman asked. At this, Kairi hesitated, thinking her answer over. A few things came to mind and she debated with herself for a few minutes before coming to a conclusion. "To broaden my horizons," she answered quietly. The woman nodded in reply.

Finally, Kairi approached the final girl, this one in her mid-teens. She had shining golden hair that fell in perfect curls, framing a lovely, angular face. Purple eyes, similar to her own, gazed into her soul. She was dressed in a simply cut blue gown, a gold necklace around her throat.

"What is it that you fear?" the blonde asked. Kairi, surprised yet again, thought over her answer carefully. After a few moments, she nodded to herself.

"Indecision," she answered firmly." The woman smiled and nodded to her.

 _You fear indecision. You want to broaden your horizons. You want friendship._

 _The day you approach the door to your fate is both far off and very near._

And with that, everything around her faded to whiteness. After a moment, the white faded away to reveal yet another station. This one depicted a girl she did not know, but looked much like her. She had flaxen blonde hair brushed over one shoulder, identical violet eyes, and a sad smile. Her hands were clasped before her and she wore a simple white sundress. Black thorns surrounded the girl, as if trapping her. Images of Sora and Riku were on her right, images of several people she didn't know to her left. All of the strangers, from an almost pink-haired man to a cruel-looking blonde woman, to a green-eyed blonde man wore hollow, sinister grins.

As she studied the image of this mysterious girl, movement caught Kairi's attention. More of those iridescent cat-things emerged from the station's surface, surrounding her. Her staff appeared again, and she adopted a crouching stance that felt both right and somehow wrong.

As the creatures attacked, Kairi once again whirled through her dance of death. Spin, stab, slash, duck, block, counter, cartwheel, slash, uppercut, spin, cartwheel, jump, slash, roll, stab, slash - it all blurred together as her body went through the motions. After several minutes, all of the creatures had faded into that glowing platinum mist.

As she caught her breath, another column of light appeared above her, moving to the far edge of the station. A platform of multicolored glass appeared, quickly followed by more that formed a trail into the distance. With nowhere else to go, Kairi hurried up the mystical ramp.

The path ended on what somehow felt like the final station, this one depicting the blue-haired woman from the beginning. She stood, poised and dignified with a firm-yet-kind expression, a Keyblade held out to her side. She wore a black-and-blue, high-collared halter top and black shorts that all emphasized her ample physique, as well as detached white sleeves and pieces of armor, fingerless gloves, and armored boots. A silver badge hung on straps that crossed over her chest and Light was cupped in her free hand.

The column of light stood in the center of the station and Kairi approached it.

 _Though your heart is free of Darkness, danger still lurks._

Kairi glanced back to see her shadow stretched behind her. The shadow shimmered and turned white, before emerging from the surface of the station and changing shape. Kairi stepped back in surprise as her shadow metamorphosed into a massive opalescent lion, standing crouched on its haunches and its forelimbs extended and capped with vicious claws. Golden flames surrounded its face in a fearsome mane, its green eyes glaring and its open maw filled with fangs. A heart-shaped hole stood out in the center of its chest.

 _But do not be afraid. And do not forget ..._

Kairi gasped inaudibly and, on instinct, ran away. She stumbled and nearly tipped over the edge of the station, just barely recovering her balance. With nowhere to go, she turned to face the monster towering over her. As her staff appeared in her hand, Kairi's fear turned to determination, and she took her alien-feeling battle stance.

The monster loomed and drew back its fist, slivers of Light whirling around it before it plunged into the station itself. Smaller creatures emerged from the misty void, but Kairi chose to ignore them in favor of the bigger threat. Without thinking, Kairi leapt for the monster's extended arm and ran up to its head. With slashes and strikes far too sure for her meager experience, she attacked the monster's head with reckless abandon. After a few combinations of attacks, the monster straightened up and shook her off; she landed back on the station with a roll.

The monster leaned back and held up its hands, a massive sphere of golden Light forming between them. Her instincts taking over, Kairi hurled her staff end-over-end at the sphere, shattering it and sending the monster reeling. It collapsed at her feet with a great crash that shook the station, but Kairi recovered and darted for its head to repeat her onslaught.

After a handful of moments, the creature shook itself and roared. It rose and slammed its fists upon the station, rocking it and sending Kairi hurtling into the void above. Kairi righted herself in the air and faced the snarling monstrosity. And just like that, the remains of her fear ignited into righteous fury, bolstering her determination.

How dare this thing attack her within her own dream?!

Kairi focused on that fury, the heat of it burning in her gut, and the feeling flowed through her arm and into her staff. The head ignited into marigold flames and she swung her weapon, the flames shooting away and striking the monster in the face. Gravity took back effect, and with a soundless cry, Kairi hurtled toward the monster and struck it across the crown with an air of finality.

As Kairi rolled across the ground from her fall, the monster thrashed in agony, pieces of itself falling like a congealed rainbow. Her staff disappeared and she rolled to the side to avoid her assailant's mindless strikes. Platinum mist formed around the station, drawing Kairi in like quicksand.

 _But do not be afraid—_

Kairi sank further, the mist rapidly eclipsing her body. The monster loomed over her, its features relaxing into … a sort of peace as its essence crumbled.

 _For you hold the mightiest weapon of all …_

Kairi thrashed, trying to free herself, but her efforts were in vain.

 _So do not forget …_

A wordless, soundless shriek ripped from Kairi's throat as the platinum mist finally covered her face, leaving her utterly entrapped.

 _You are the one who will do what no other has. Kairi …_

* * *

Kairi slowly rose from the haze of sleep, eyes fluttering open. With stiff joints, she rolled onto her back and sat up, rubbing the grit from her eyes. As the haze faded away, she stiffened and her heart raced, memories of the dream resurfacing as if carved into her mind.

Had it all been a dream? Just one unbelievably vivid dream?

Brushing aside her impossible questions for later, Kairi crawled across her bed and opened the shutters of her window, gazing across the rooftops of Destiny Islands as the sun rose into the sky. Without meaning to, her gaze focused on the distant silhouette of the play island.

The place where the Darkness had begun to consume the world, where she had gone to try and stop it. Even if she'd had no idea what she could do. The place where she had reappeared as the worlds began to reform. The place where she had stood helplessly as Sora's grip in her own became weaker and weaker.

Where he had promised to return to her.

As she remembered that fateful night, countless emotions rose in her chest. They gathered and intensified, rising until she grit her teeth and clenched her fists in an effort to hold it all in. As these feelings reached a crescendo … they faded away into nothingness, leaving her hollow inside.

Kairi had cried herself to sleep for three nights after Sora's promise. And frankly, she was tired of that. She knew Sora, what his promises meant to him; she trusted him without a shred of doubt. He would return; it was silly to think that he could find Riku and return home in the span of a week.

At the thought of Sora, two final emotions rose up in her heart. A wave of sadness threatened to drown her, but the thought of Sora, of his glittering cobalt eyes, his soft chocolate hair, that cheesy grin, brought a tide of happiness to rise against it. The two emotions battled in her heart and, after a handful of moments, she smiled.

No more crying. No more tears. Either she trusted Sora to return or she didn't. And she did, more than anything.

Kairi started at the feeling of something small and wet hitting her wrist. A quick brush of her fingers across her cheekbone confirmed the wetness there. Just like when she had discovered the mural, their mural, in the Secret Place. Where she had discovered just what she meant to him.

Kairi smiled at the memory, eyes watering again before she shook off her sadness. No more tears!

With a final glance at the play island, Kairi dressed and decided to head for the island itself. School started back in two weeks, but that didn't mean much for her. After she had arrived on the island one fateful night and the mayor and his wife had adopted her, they had decided to homeschool her until she caught up enough to join public school. But she had done so well, they had never taken the time to enroll her. Kairi didn't really mind; after all, she had Sora and Riku and the others anyway.

Kairi descended the steps to the main floor of their house to be greeted by an expected silence. A note on the kitchen table told her that May was running errands. Alphonse would be at work at city hall by now.

She grabbed an apple from the the kitchen and locked up the house, heading for the island's small wharf. As she crossed through town, passing people she knew by name or by appearance and waving, her thoughts eventually returned to her dream.

What was that place? So bizarre …

As her mind wandered, a strange sensation seemed to settle over her. It felt … like the firm click of a lock, a faint rumble of thunder. Like something had ... Changed. She stood in place for a few seconds before shaking it off.

What could possibly happen?

* * *

Far across Interspace sat a small island of a world, where the great sorcerer Yen Sid watched the heavens from a window in his tower. His eyes, so light as to be colorless, closed in a slow blink as he drew himself away from his stargazing and sat in the high-backed chair at his desk.

Like a handful before him, Yen Sid had the talent to divine wisdom from the stars. The stars, the worlds themselves, saw all, and were willing to impart their experience to those with the gift to Listen.

With this talent, Yen Sid was quite aware of what had happened mere days previously. He knew of the Seeker's attempt to capture the power of Kingdom Hearts, and his destruction therein. He knew of his former apprentice's closing of the Door to Darkness, along with the boy chosen by the Keyblade itself, Sora. And he knew of the sacrifice of the boy Riku, who still struggled with the Darkness.

And above all he knew of the near-unfathomable event that had occurred the night before. His divining had brought to his attention the resonance of an Awakening. From a tiny world filled with Light, he had felt the power of the Keyblade begin to stir. And while the use of Keyblades was unfortunately rare these days, that wasn't what was so odd.

The Keyblade had Awakened within a Princess of Heart. Now that-! Such a thing was unprecedented. Ever since the Keyblade War and the shattering of the X-blade, the Princesses had been sought after by those with malicious ends. The details had been nearly forgotten, but the sense of power around the Seven Pure Lights had never faded away. And while they had been sought, they had never been gathered together. At least until recently.

Thus through the centuries since, the Keyblade Masters had striven to protect the Princesses. Some were aware of the dangers that threatened them, of what made them so special; others remained blissfully ignorant. A small few had even taken it upon themselves to learn to protect themselves, through swordplay or magic.

But none, not one, had been Bequeathed a Keyblade.

And yet, despite the strangeness of the idea, Yen Sid felt the ghost of a smile on his lips. Perhaps this was one of the olden Masters' mistakes. Perhaps, if the Princesses had been taught to protect themselves, the Seeker and the dark fairy would never have collected them to open the Final Keyhole. Or, at the very least, it would have been far more difficult.

Yen Sid drummed his nails against his desk, thoughts shifting through his mind as his eyes bored into the wood. Ten years ago, he had sat in this chair and watched three Keyblade wielders' lives fall apart. All he had given was advice, when perhaps more direct intervention could have spared them from their tragic fates.

He had made a great mistake, and he knew that. He accepted it, and had faith that one day he would have the chance to make it right. Perhaps this was the beginning of his redemption. Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from mistakes. The difference between wisdom and foolishness is not learning from those mistakes.

Yen Sid clapped his palm against the surface of his desk, his mind made up. He stood and moved away from his desk, donning his trademark pointed hat. He stretched out his arms and dove into the energy of magic within himself, waving his hands in motions like a conductor, fingers forming arcane patterns as he wove his powerful enchantment.

Before the sorcerer, a door of wood began to emerge from the air, engraved with waves, palm trees, and star-shaped fruit. As the enchantment finished, the door's edges flashed with white light, the door itself becoming more solid, more real.

Yen Sid gripped the doorknob and turned, the door opening to reveal another world. He saw golden sunlight, heard the call of gulls and the roar of waves on the shore, smelled salt in the untainted air. As the sorcerer passed through the Gateway and closed the door behind him, the door dissolved into sparkling dust, which in turn faded to nothingness.

It was time to take on another apprentice.

 **What do you all think? I tried to put my own spin on a Dive to the Heart for Kairi, especially with the Stations. How did I do? Don't worry - like the games, this is just a prologue.**

 **A few notes:**

 ***Anyone who has played** ** _Birth by Sleep_** **can probably guess who the mysterious "voice" is. She isn't actually speaking, Kairi's subconscious just manifests her voice, linking the woman with strength and wisdom.**

 ***I'm working on the assumption that Kairi was at least partially conscious during her time in Sora's heart, and she remembers bits and pieces. They come to her at random or through her dreams. That will actually play a bigger part later.**

 ***The creatures she fought are not Heartless. Kairi has no Darkness in her heart, so it wouldn't make sense for her heart to manifest them for her to fight. These creatures are not Nobodies, either, but something of my own creation. They'll be explained later.**

 ***The Grand Hall is the part of Hollow Bastion where you fight Ansem-Riku and the Princesses were being held. The questions were asked in the lower part, where the prisons were. For the record, canonically Snow White is fourteen (Kairi's age in KH1), Cinderella is nineteen, and Aurora is sixteen. I chose them because they were the original Princesses, who set the standard for all who came later. Even if the standard has (thankfully) grown much in the last quarter-century.**

 ***Kairi's adopted parents were named after Alphonse Elric and May Chang from "Fullmetal Alchemist". No, they're not the actual characters. I just like the names.**

 ***Yen Sid's "Doors Between Worlds" are based on the Sorcerer's doors/portals in "Once Upon A Time". While Yen Sid hasn't displayed this power in-game, the Kingdom Hearts series' heavy use of door-related metaphors made it too good to resist. Plus, I just think it looks cool!**

 **Special thanks to PhoenixDowner, who edited this chapter. Their story "Dear Sora" was a big inspiration for this. Check it out, their characterization is beyond excellent.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Hey, Kairi!" Said redhead looked up from rowing her boat to find Selphie waving from the islet's small pier. Kairi grinned and took a moment to wave before she got back to her approach. Five minutes later, with her boat securely fastened, Kairi was wrapped in a hug from the bubbly brunette.

"It's so good to see you!" Selphie all-but-shouted. Translation: 'I'm so glad you're okay'. Though one probably wouldn't catch it upon first meeting her, Selphie had her moments of insight. After the Islands had reformed, she had been the one to catch, almost immediately, that something was missing. To her credit, it had only taken a day for her to realize that Sora and Riku were missing. It took the boys nearly three.

In the week since, Selphie had done as much as she could to help. She had, thankfully only once, been a shoulder to cry on. Kairi had known that she couldn't reveal too much about other worlds, even if the Islanders were somewhat aware that they existed, but she had been able to share the most important things. And Selphie had been more than supportive.

"So, Kairi, what do you want to do?" Kairi smiled to herself, a touch sadly. She would never be able to repay the sunny girl's concern. She was about to shrug in response when she paused in her stride. Images of her dream, as vivid as if they had really happened, flashed across her mind's eye. Her fingers twitched at recalling how she had _fought_. Fought as if she had been doing it for years!

It was common for the kids of Destiny Islands to teach themselves martial arts as a shared interest, though no one was sure where the practice had started. While Kairi had dabbled only enough to fit in, others like Tidus, Selphie, Wakka, and especially Sora and Riku had taken it to the next level. Of course, Sora and Riku had taken it even further, to the point where they could only find a real challenge from each other or a three-on-one fight from the others.

Without a verbal answer, Kairi dashed off to the Shack, returning with a spare practice sword, though upside down to act more like the staff from her dream. Selphie's eyes widened at the sight of the mock-weapon. She looked up, her eyes silently questioning. 'Are you sure?' she seemed to be asking. Kairi smirked, suddenly firm in her impulse, and dropped into a battle stance.

Selphie, to her credit, smirked back and revealed her jump rope/nunchaku from wherever she was hiding it. "Okay, don't hold back," she called in her traditional pre-spar warning.

Right off the bat, Selphie whipped her nunchaku forward, lashing out with one end like a striking snake. And, just like in her dream, it was like Kairi's body knew what to do. With reflexes she had never possessed, she swung her mock-staff and struck Selphie's attack back at her.

Selphie was cognizant enough to avoid the rebound, and looked at Kairi with surprise. No one except Riku and Sora had ever pulled off that trick! The brunette shook it off and refocused on her opponent, charging forward with her rope swinging.

Kairi grinned and lunged into a sideways cartwheel (she had always been athletic) and struck out at Selphie. The brunette leapt back to avoid before quickly darting back toward Kairi, rope lashing forward again. Kairi held up her staff to deflect the blow and struck back as Selphie drew near, delivering a fierce barrage.

As the mock-duel wore on, Selphie had to pull out every trick she knew to even keep up with Kairi. She had barely gotten in a hit! Finally, with a final swing of that staff, she felt the wind knocked out of her and held up her hands in defeat. A quick glance up revealed Kairi to be none the worse for wear, hardly panting and with a wide grin on her face.

"How'd you do all that?" Selphie asked, a smile of her own spreading across her face. "Not even Tidus can fight like that!" Kairi simply shrugged.

"Natural talent?" she suggested.

"No way," Selphie replied, eyes narrowing in focus. "You don't just pull out a victory like that from nowhere. All of that was … trained, practiced. I mean, you fought like Sora, just now!" Selphie's smile fell as she realized what she said. Kairi's eyes turned sad and she clutched the pendant hanging around her neck, her gaze moving out to the open sea.

"Kairi?" Selphie asked, concern and regret lacing her words.

"It's fine," Kairi said, her smile back. And somehow, Selphie believed her. Something in her voice rung with strength. It seemed Kairi had moved passed her sorrow and had on to determination. Just like the Kairi she knew!

"Wanna go again?" Kairi asked, adopting her stance. Selphie thought it over and lifted her fingers to her lips for a piercing whistle. Like trained dogs, the boys emerged from the tree house, identical confused looks on their faces.

"Come on, guys! Kairi wants a challenge!" Nothing more needed to be said for the pair to dash down the ladder and toward them. And in spite of the sound stomping she somehow just knew they would all get, she couldn't help but smirk. Not only would Tidus and Wakka be whipped by a girl, but Kairi was getting better, her spirits returning to what they had been before.

Selphie readied her nunchaku as the boys armed their own weapons. "Don't hold back," she warned. Both to the boys, and to Kairi.

* * *

As the children continued to spar, Yen Sid watched from the islet, back against the leaning tree and wrapped in a concealing spell. His unnerving eyes tracked the children, but focused largely on Kairi. The powerful Light of hers shone like star to those who could sense it, such as himself. Beyond that, the aura of the Keyblade emanated from her Light.

But the child had skills he had not anticipated. True, this was not a bad thing, far from it. But it was … surprising in a way that was not good. Kairi's abilities clearly far surpassed those of the trio she fought with, on a level that would take rigorous practice to master. Or repeated life-or-death experience. So, where had the girl amassed such skills?

An unorthodox solution emerged from Yen Sid's thoughts. One that would explain such a thing.

Yen Sid broke off his musings as the children dispersed. He heard, thanks to a spell to enhance his senses, the girl in yellow ask if Kairi would join them in the Cove. She shook her head and thanked the girl before moving toward the shack. Yen Sid's mouth twitched at the sight of Fate intervening. All the more evidence that this was the proper course of action.

A few moments later, Kairi had crossed the bridge to the islet and sat with a sigh on the leaning paopu tree. Yen Sid, silently wrapped in his cloaking spell, moved to the edge of the islet, hands clasped behind his back. What few knew about the old sorcerer, and all sorcerers to one degree or another, was his penchant for the dramatic.

Carefully schooling his expression into distant wisdom, he let the spell drop.

* * *

"Quite the performance, young Princess." Kairi yelped in surprise, leaping from the paopu and rolling to her feet, drawing her staff without conscious thought. What in the worlds? Where had this man come from?

"Do not fear, child. I mean you no harm," the man said. 'Sure, that's what they all say,' Kairi thought wryly. Slowly, as if not wanting to startle her, the man turned to face her.

The man was quite tall, his shoulders wide. His eyes were … strange, the pupils too small, and sat over a hawk-like nose. And he gave off an aura of severity, though softened with wisdom. He was dressed in a blue robe and a strange pointed hat covered with stars and moons. But … she didn't sense evil.

Kairi had always be able to tell when people around her meant harm, whether to her or others, like an invisible dark cloud that hung around them. This man held no such feeling. Trusting her intuition, Kairi lowered her weapon just a bit.

"Who are you?" she asked, thankful that her voice didn't waver.

"My name is Yen Sid, sorcerer of the twelfth degree," he answered. His countenance seemed to relax ever-so-slightly. "I believe you know of my apprentice, King Mickey, and his advisors Goofy and Donald." Kairi started at this information, the words ringing with truth.

"You taught the King magic?" she asked. A smile twitched at the corner of the sorcerer's mouth.

"Among other things," he replied. The sorcerer lifted his hand, palm outward and fingers splayed. In a flash of light, there appeared a familiar-looking weapon. A Keyblade, blue and decorated with stars, moons and comets. A crescent moon hung from the chain at its pommel.

At the sight of Yen Sid's weapon, Kairi stepped back at a strange feeling in her heart, like a rising warmth. Her fingers twitched from around her mock-staff, as if rejecting the wooden toy. "What do you want with me?" she asked. If he really was a sorcerer, then it couldn't be a coincidence that he had appeared before her.

"To show you just how unique you truly are," he answered cryptically.

Kairi clutched a hand to her heart as the warm feeling inside intensified, like the Keyblade in Yen Sid's hand were … calling to her. As if she were being drawn toward it. She dropped her toy sword, fingers further twitching as if the empty space felt … wrong somehow.

"Look deep inside yourself, child," Yen Sid urged. "Find the Mark laid upon your heart by destiny."

At his words, the feeling of warmth seemed to spike, as if agreeing with him. Her eyes were locked on the Keyblade, memories of Sora flashing through her mind. She lifted her arm, hand open and fingers spread. An image of the blue-haired woman appeared in her mind's eye, reaching toward her.

And like a strike of lightning, a crack of thunder, shattering of glass, the feeling reached a crescendo and … blossomed. A blaze of Light emerged from before her and faded away, leaving her dazed. She clutched her head to ward off the sudden dizziness - and started at the weight in her other hand.

Kairi looked down, eyes wide, to find a Keyblade clutched in her hand.

* * *

In a distant place known as the Dark Median, a lone figure slept fitfully. In all the unknowable time she had been wandering the Realm of Darkness, this was the only place she could find sure refuge from the creatures that plagued her. It always seemed to appear when she needed it most, when her strength was spent and her eyes were heavy. The Heartless never wandered here, and for that she was grateful.

And as if struck by lightning, the woman sat up, eyes wide. Her Keyblade, Master's Defender, appeared beside her, the weapon trembling. A warmth she could not explain arose in her heart. It was like … the pride she felt when Ven did well in his sparring, when Terra mastered a new spell. When the Master congratulated her.

The woman rose and gazed into the distance, at the opaque light that shone on the dark horizon like the sun hidden by clouds. And for the first time in … a long time, Master Aqua felt a tear of happiness roll down her cheek.

What had just happened?

* * *

It had been a solid ten minutes since Kairi had sat on the edge of the islet, feet dangling as she examined the Keyblade - _her_ Keyblade. The very thought still seemed so unreal.

The teeth of the blade were formed of a heart-shaped bouquet of flowers, connected to the hilt of the blade by a sand-colored vine that wrapped around the sunset-colored shaft, eventually forming one half of the guard. The other half of the guard was decorated like a crashing wave. A red cord was attached to the pommel of the weapon, ending in a paopu-shaped charm.

Overall, the weapon appeared almost harmless.

As far as she could tell, Yen Sid still stood where he had first appeared, eyes closed and hands folded behind his back as he patiently waited for her to emerge from her musings. The redhead stood from her perch and the questions that her examination had staved off came rushing forward. With no one else to ask, and her infamous curiosity almost painful, she decided to try and get answers from the sorcerer.

"How did this happen?" she asked. "I thought only Sora could wield the Keyblade." Well, Riku could, too, but it had chosen Sora over him. That much she had pieced together from Sora's stories and her own fragmented recollections.

"Your question implies that there is merely one Keyblade to be wielded," was Yen Sid's cryptic answer.

Wait, did that mean there was more than one? Everyone had spoken of Sora's Keyblade as if referring to a single thing, rather than one of many. But then, maybe everyone else didn't know as much about the Keyblade - Keyblades - as they thought. Most of what she had heard had the feel of rumor and legend, after all. And legends tended to change with time.

"Then how did I get my own?" she asked, turning to face the sorcerer.

"Keyblades, or rather the power to summon them, are passed from Master to prospective student, each generation trained by the previous before taking up the mantle, and in time passing it on in turn. The trial to pass down this mantle is known as 'Bequeathing'. Should the Keyblade accept the successor, a process even the wisest of masters have never fully understood, the successor would be Marked as a Chosen of the Keyblade and trained in its use and prepared to protect the worlds."

"Then who Bequeathed it to me?" she asked, "and to Sora and Riku?" Yen Sid's lips twitched in that ghost of a smile again.

"I have my suspicions," he answered. "But as I cannot examine your friends, it is best I keep my suspicions of them to myself." He glanced at her, his gaze intense. "However, if you wish, I could examine you for the Mark. Each Mark is unerringly similar, but they can be traced by those with proper experience. By examining the Mark, I could confirm your Master."

Kairi glanced away, thinking over her options, before nodding. Yen Sid drew near and held out his hand, beckoning for her's. She placed her hand in his palm, to which he folded his other hand over it. The old sorcerer closed his eyes and breathed deeply, losing himself in a deep trance. A few moments later, his eyes snapped open.

"Just as I thought," he said. "You were Chosen by Destiny Itself, through the means of Master Aqua."

At the sound of that name, Kairi felt as if she had been suckerpunched. A memory long-buried reemerged in stark detail, a memory of a beautiful, blue-haired woman who had saved her life. "Aqua …"

 _"I picked you some flowers. Thank you for saving me. - Oh, they're lovely. You're so sweet. - My name's Kairi. Nice to meet you! - Nice to meet you, too. I'm Aqua."_

"I remember …" she thought out loud.

"The heart tends to remember that which molds it," Yen Sid intoned. And a heart like Kairi's, so full of Light, would remember much.

"So why now?" she asked, that question burning brightest of all. "Why not when the Islands were invaded? Why not when I was down in the Secret Place, trying to …?" ...To push back the Darkness. "Why not in Traverse Town when I could have done something?!" Her voice had risen, buried frustrations being uncovered. "Why didn't this stupid thing show up when I needed it?!" She turned and threw the Keyblade into the distance to splash into the sea. As she panted from her anger, a flash of light heralded it's return to her hand.

"The Keyblade is not something easily shaken, young Princess," Yen Sid commented. Kairi turned and glared at him, even as her anger simmered down. She glanced at the weapon in her hand and sighed, dismissing it with a flick of her wrist.

"And to answer your questions, there were many factors. The Keyblade, when summoned outside of supervision, often appears for the first time during great emotional stress. And while I am certain you were under such stress and more during the Fall of this world, you are not like others. You are a Princess of Heart, one of the seven Pure Lights. The Darkness that emerged to swallow the Islands is the utter inverse of what you are, and it … weighed upon you. It clouded your senses and suppressed the will you would have needed to achieve that first summoning."

Kairi swallowed thickly at Yen Sid's explanation. As much as she hated to admit it, he had gotten everything right. She could remember that night with horrific clarity. She remembered the feel of the Darkness rising up, that suffocating presence. It had been like the flu, but … more. She had been certain, without knowing how, that she could stop what was happening.

But she had been too weak. She had been beaten down by the Darkness and her heart had fled to hide within the one place that felt safe. The warm, strong Light in Sora's heart.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked.

"Because I failed your Master, Kairi. My indecision led to her and her friends fates, whatever they may be. I believe that through you I may begin to atone for that great failure." His eyes softened just a bit. "But more than that, it is because you are Chosen. As the last remaining Master, it is my duty to teach you, to prepare you for the mantle that no other Princess has ever donned." He closed his eyes and sighed, stroking his beard.

"If you accept, I will take you on as my apprentice and train you in the use of your Keyblade. And perhaps you can blossom into a force unlike anything the worlds have ever seen."

Kairi's eyes widened at the offer. He wanted to train her? "If I do this," she asked, "will I be able to search for Sora and Riku?" That was what she really wanted. She was tired of being weak, of being a burden to her friends. She wanted to help them, to find them, to fight alongside them!

"In time, yes," The sorcerer answered. "You will."

Kairi steeled herself and thrust her hand to the side, her Keyblade answering her silent call. "When do we start?" she she asked.

* * *

That night, as the moon rose over the play island, its silvery light filtered through the cracks in the Secret Place. Kairi squared her shoulders, facing the Door that had once again appeared in the cave wall. In a shimmer of silvery light, the Keyhole appeared in the center, as if it had been awaiting her arrival.

Kairi extended her arm, fingers spread, and summoned her Keyblade. Taking a deep breath, she pointed the weapon toward the Keyhole, just as Sora had described in his stories. Motes of Light surrounded the tip, merging into a nimbus of power until a thin beam of Light burst from the weapon and into the Keyhole.

With a resonant _click_ that she felt through the weapon itself, the Door blazed with soft sunlight, which faded to reveal the wall of the cave. An etching of the Keyhole remained behind, the only evidence that it had been there at all.

Kairi nodded with a smile, happy beyond belief that what had happened once, what she had failed to stop, would never happen again. Her task complete, Kairi scooped up a leather knapsack and slung it over her shoulders before turning to leave the Secret Place.

Kairi emerged from the small opening that led to the cave below to find Yen Sid facing the ocean. She approached the sorcerer, her new master, and waited for him to emerge from his thoughts. After a few moments, he sighed and turned to her. She smiled and nodded, happy that she had fulfilled her first order as a Keyblade apprentice.

Yen Sid turned and held out his hands, arms waving and fingers weaving. A wooden double-door appeared in the thin air, carved with stars, moons and comets. Kairi smirked to herself as she began to see a pattern. Seems Master Yen Sid really liked the whole "celestial" motif.

In a flare of illumination, the door solidified and swung open. Kairi tightened her grip on her knapsack and followed Yen Sid's lead through the door. As the door closed behind her, it finally struck her that she wouldn't see her home for some time.

But she didn't look back. Instead, she felt her determination rise and harden into steel. It was time to leave the past behind. All that remained was the future.

And so she strode forward and her own journey began.

 **Another chapter! Leave a review, guys! How'm I doing?**

 **The "Mark of the Chosen" is based on my head-canon that a Bequeathing leaves a metaphysical "mark" on the heart. In** ** _Birth by Sleep_** **, Aqua describes sensing Terra's "power" when she meets five-year-old Riku. I interpret this as sensing the Mark. For the purpose of this story, as the wielder grows in power, the Mark grows as well. Upon reaching the level of a Master, the Mark has filled out into a literal "Mark of Mastery". As Terra's power and skills were already at Master-level, he had this literal Mark of Mastery, and therefore could Bequeath his Keyblade to Riku.**

 **The bit with Selphie was inspired by a quick, silent scene in the credits of _Re:Chain of Memories_. Selphie seemed concerned for Kairi, and I interpret that my own way. **

**For those of you wondering about Kairi's parents, use your imagination. Their parents are rarely even mentioned in-game, so I decided to leave it to ya'll to decide how they reacted.**

 **Another shout-out to PhoenixDowner for their support! Their story "Dear Sora" is amazing, check it out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

As the next day began, the clouds beneath Yen Sid's home, the Mysterious Tower, grew lighter to signal the dawn. On the grounds outside the tower, Kairi stood before her new master in an improvised sparring ring carved in the dirt by his magic, eagerly awaiting her first lesson.

"Traditionally, the first challenge for a new apprentice to overcome is the summoning of their own Keyblade," Yen Sid intoned. Kairi blinked before smiling and holding out her hand, her Keyblade, the Destiny's Embrace, heeding her call in a flash of light.

"Very good," he conceded. "But do not let your confidence overgrow. Training with the Keyblade is a grueling task. Just as with all apprentices, you will face many obstacles that will not be overcome so easily." His voice softened by a shade. "And yet, do not lose faith. Like all things, the more effort and heart you put into it, the greater the fruits it will bear."

"Next, as per tradition, I will evaluate your prior skills in swordsmanship," Yen Sid continued. He moved his hand forward, fingers splayed. On the ground before Kairi, a pillar of water rose from the soil, its shape contorting and colors shifting to become an image of a younger Yen Sid, his hair black as night and his beard much shorter. The false-Yen Sid wielded a copy of the true sorcerer's Keyblade, the Star Seeker.

"Your task is to fight this Apparition. It will not use magic, but its skills rival those of my own toward the end of my own apprenticeship. I suggest you do not hold back." Wit that, Yen Sid conjured a sturdy wooden chair and sat, his back straight as an arrow. With a snap of his fingers, the Apparition attacked.

As the duel began, Yen Sid's eyes immediately narrowed at Kairi's seemingly unnatural stance. She seemed to be adopting it by habit, and yet he felt that it was not suited for her. He filed this information away and continued to observe.

As Yen Sid examined her skills, Kairi herself had no time to consider what he was thinking. The Apparition came at her like a hurricane, its blade swinging with speed that she could hardly even see. It was all she could do to defend herself, much less get in a single attack. And most of that defense was simply avoiding her opponent's own movements.

After several minutes of slowly beating her back, the Apparition leapt backward and fell into a relaxed stance, its weapon held to its side. Yen Sid stood and approached her, idly stroking his beard in thought.

"Excellent use of defensive maneuvering, Kairi," he commended. Kairi smiled shakily as she continued to pant, the adrenaline from her duel starting to fade.

"If I may," he continued, "where exactly did you learn your style?" He had an idea, but confirmation was always best.

"I don't know," Kairi answered honestly, after a pregnant pause. "I just woke up yesterday morning and … I could fight. It's like my body knows exactly what to do, and when." This fell in line with Yen Sid's theory.

"Adopt your combat stance," he commanded. Kairi blinked at the request before obeying, her knees bending and her Keyblade held close to her side. Yen Sid snapped his fingers and an image of Kairi appeared before her in the same pose. With a shimmer, the image changed into that of Sora.

"Tell me, does this image look familiar to you?" he asked. Kairi stood straight and examined the illusion, a thick feeling of deja vu overtaking her. Her stance … was identical to Sora's? How could that be?

"I believe, Kairi, that during your time sleeping in Sora's heart, your own heart passively absorbed his own experiences. While the body has its own form of memory, one's true seat of remembrance lies in the heart. When your heart was returned to its proper place, that memory was transferred as well and locked within your subconscious." He snapped his fingers and the illusion of Sora faded away.

"We will delve further into that topic later. For now, you will demonstrate whatever offensive skills you know." He returned to his chair and gestured to the Apparition, which adopted a guarding stance. "Your task is to attempt to break through your opponent's defenses. A single connecting blow should be enough to dispel it." He sat once more and steepled his fingers, eyes narrowed. "Begin."

Kairi charged forward with a high-pitched cry and swung - only to meet the Apparition's blade, the sudden stop of her weapon sending a tremor through her arms. The construct shook off her weapon and resumed its guarding stance.

Undeterred, Kairi smirked and continued to strike out at it.

As the minutes ticked by, however, she began to grow frustrated. Every attack, no matter how strong, quick, or clever, seemed unable to pierce the Apparition's defense. She took a few steps back and breathed deeply, psyching herself up.

She charged and swung. The Apparition moved its blade to block, the Keyblade stopped in its tracks - and Kairi collapsed her stance to strike its shoulder with the pommel, the momentum of her attack redirected by the fulcrum of its own weapon. The Apparition was struck backward a step … and it collapsed into a puddle that rapidly disappeared into the ground.

As she stood there panting, Kairi caught on the the sound of Yen Sid's light clapping. "Well done, child," he commented stoically. "While your skills do have room to grow, you have an excellent foundation. And you've discovered your natural stance, to boot."

Kairi wondered what he was talking about … until she looked down at herself. Her back was straight, her knees only slightly bent rather than deeply. Rather than holding her Keyblade two-handed, she held it only in her right with the blade crossing over her chest in a natural guard pose, her other hand held to her side with the fingers splayed, as if ready to cast magic.

And it all felt … natural.

"We will continue your physical training later," he said. "For now, we have much to discuss in regards to your time within Sora's heart." As the sorcerer stood and made his way for the Tower, Kairi bolted to catch up. And for the life of her, she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kairi sat in a high-backed chair in her master's office, a ceramic cup of tea in her hands. She waited patiently as Yen Sid stroked his beard, eyes closed in thought. After a few more minutes, he sighed and opened his eyes.

"Before we begin, what exactly do you remember from your time in Sora's heart?" he asked, not unkindly.

"Just … fragments," she answered truthfully. "Images, sounds … Most of it's a blur with bursts of clarity." He nodded at her explanation.

"From what I have gathered, as I said before, your heart seems to have, shall we say, imitated Sora's experiences during his quest to destroy the Heartless."

"How is that possible?" she asked.

"To understand such a thing," Yen Sid began, "you must first understand what the heart is. A person's existence is made up of three parts: the body, the soul, and the heart. The body acts as a container for the latter two, a vessel to interact with the world around them. The soul, also known as the spirit or mind, is the driving force that keeps one alive. But arguably the most important of these is the heart.

"The heart is what makes a person them, what makes them unique. It contains memory and emotion. It manifests one's Light and Darkness, assuming they have the latter, and allows them to choose which to pursue. In essence, it is the very core of who we are, what makes our lives worth living."

For a few moments, nothing was said. What _could_ you say in the face of all of that?

"So, while I was inside Sora's heart …?"

"You were linked to him in a way that is impossible to fully understand. True, your heart was sleeping, but the heart is a truly powerful thing. All through his journey, Sora found himself in conflicts with the Heartless and those who controlled them, in struggles that would end in either victory, death, or corruption. Such life-or-death struggles are like a crucible, strengthening the subject if they are not destroyed. It is, I believe, one of many factors that allowed him to grow as powerful as he did in such a short time.

"With his emotions rampant throughout his journey, his heart 'imprinted', shall we say, on your own. The lessons he learned to survive resonated with your heart and the desire to _live_ that all hearts share. In this way, I think, Sora's heart inadvertently taught yours how to defend itself. These lessons, upon your heart's return to your body, were in turn passed on to your soul and body to be Awakened alongside your ability to handle the Keyblade."

Kairi bit her lip in thought, mulling over everything Yen Sid had said. She understood most of what he was saying, though some of the more esoteric parts kind of made her head hurt. It all made sense, really. She smiled at the thought of Sora teaching her the traditional way, that cheesy grin pushing her to improve.

Of course, in a way, it actually was.

"What does this mean for my training?" she asked. Best to get straight to the point.

"While your new skills are commendable, they are a product of Sora's experiences rather than your own. As evidenced by your former stance, they are not wholly suited for you as an individual. From here on, your training will focus on refining your new skills into a style more suited to yourself.

"In addition, I will begin training you in the mystic arts. To which, I believe, you have a strong affinity." Kairi sat straighter at the sound of that, memories of her dream surfacing. "Your lessons in magic will begin tomorrow morning. Until then," he stood with a faint grin, "let us continue refining your swordplay."

* * *

'So this is what damnation feels like', Kairi thought as she trudged her her room that evening. After outlining her training, Yen Sid had kept to his word and devoted the rest of the day to her swordsmanship. He had drilled her in standard forms, movements subtly different from her instinctive abilities in a way that worked her muscles like nothing she had ever felt.

And though he was old, Yen Sid was anything but rusty. Even without his magic, it was clear that one didn't earn the rank of Master by anything but sheer skill. The sorcerer had danced around her like a wave, never too far away and never too close, always flowing and reacting. If she pushed, he pulled - if she pulled, he pushed. It had been stunning in its own way, and had given her an idea of exactly how far she had to go.

And as far as she could experience, the only result at the moment was exhaustion and pain. Every muscle, every bone, and everything else in her body ached. Even this simple trip to the shower (Light, she felt like she would never by un-sticky again!) was nearly beyond her.

Frankly, it was only the promise of hot water and a meal afterward that kept her moving.

Finally, after a seeming-eternity, she stumbled into the small bathroom situated next to her new bedroom. Acting blindly, she turned the shower head on to full heat and stripped off her clothes before stepping into the stream of scalding water. After a hiss of discomfort and a moderating of the temperature, she sighed in contentment as the heat seemed to wash away some of her suffering.

After washing the grime from herself and simply letting the heat stream over her, she finally turned off the faucet and stepped out. Wrapping herself in a towel, she noticed that her clothes were gone, replaced by a new set. Without much of a choice in the matter, she dried off and put them on before examining herself in her mirror.

First was a lavender sleeveless shirt, emblazoned with a cream-colored stylized heart and key at either side of the neckline, while a large paopu symbol sat at the right bottom hem. Khaki pants followed, rolled up to her knees and pinned with decorative epaulets, while a black leather belt sat on her hips. Leather fingerless gloves covered her hands, while black leather boots, matching the belt, extended to the bottoms of her calves. And of course, her silver pendant dangled between her collarbones.

With a smirk, Kairi left the bathroom to attend dinner, a spring in her step as her lingering fatigue was pushed to the back of her mind. A delicious smell caught her attention and she looked down to find a tray next to her door, bearing a ceramic bowl of stew, as well as a salad, a bunch of grapes, and a glass of water. A green bottle labeled "Hi-Potion" sat with the rest. A note sat under the bowl.

" _Eat well and rest easy, child, for the morrow will be as strenuous as today. - Master Yen Sid_."

Kairi smiled at the gesture and scooped the tray up to have dinner in her room. As she sat on her bed and wolfed down the surprisingly tasty meal, her eyes glanced over her new room. It was almost spartan in design, the stone walls bare and the wooden floor only covered by a navy rug. A wooden desk equipped with pens and several leather bound journals sat in one corner, opposite her bed and nightstand with an oil lantern. A wardrobe sat in the other corner with the door between it and the desk, filled with duplicates of her new outfit.

As she finished her meal and downed the Hi-Potion, its magic washing away the worst of her soreness, something new caught her eye. A leather book sat on the edge of her nightstand, the navy-stained surface glistening in the lamplight. She pursed her lips in thought, certain that the book hadn't been there a moment ago. With a shrug, she picked it up and read the cover.

 _'An Apprentice's Guide to Magic'_ it read in stiff, runic letters. A strip of leather was placed in the pages close to the front cover, so she turned it to the marked page to reveal an illustration of a blank, stylized avatar with an elaborate swirl in the center of its forehead. Text above the illustration and in the margins offered explanation on the subject, namely the source of magic within the body.

Kairi smiled widely and changed into a pair of flannel pajamas from her wardrobe before tucking herself in to read. Unlike Riku, who saw himself as too smart to read unless necessary (which wasn't far from the truth), or Sora who would only pick up a book if given no other option, Kairi was an avid reader.

Turning her lamp low, she settled against her pillow and immersed herself in the world of real magic.

* * *

After magically sending Kairi's new clothes and her first book on magic to her room, Yen Sid sat at his desk, fingers tented and eyes closed in thought. It had been just over fifteen years since he had taken on an apprentice, and this girl was so different from Mickey, even as she shared his spunk and determination.

Though he was determined to mold her into a remarkable swordswoman, he couldn't deny his instinct for her true strength. Like her predecessor, Master Aqua, Kairi's true power would reside in the arcane. He had a hunch that even past that, her unique nature would grant her a true gift for healing and defensive magics, such as Cure, Barrier, and warding spells.

As he continued to devise his lesson plans, Yen Sid sensed a calling from the stars. He stood from his chair and approached the window, eyes gazing and heart open for the whispers of the worlds. He stayed there, stroking his beard as he began to feel it. The Darkness was gathering, preparing for a greater-than-normal effusion. The worlds were anxious, worried for what this meant.

This was not uncommon, and rather small in comparison to the reign of the Seeker of Darkness. Overall, it wasn't a big enough threat for him to involve himself directly. The sorcerer sighed and filed away the sense of foreboding to consider later. He could sense the threat itself would not manifest for some time. Time enough, perhaps, to prepare his apprentice for his favorite method of teaching.

After all, what was training without experience?

* * *

Kairi screamed as the purple monsters chased her, their blood-red eyes filled with malice. She ran as fast as she could, keeping a few steps ahead as she raced for the castle, the safest place she knew. Big men guarded it, always glaring at those who came near. Surely they could help her.

She cried out again as she felt one monster brush her ankle. In her fear, she barely heard a woman's voice, younger than her grandma's, shout for her to run. She slowed down before a wall and turned to her pursuers. One leaped at her and, through luck more than skill, she dodged around it and toward the only other person she could see.

Kairi trembled as she leaned against this kind stranger, her hands resting on the woman's strange weapon for comfort. And against the drumming of her heart and the fear in her veins, she didn't catch the faint warmth in her hands or her heart.

The woman stood in front of her, shielding her from the monsters, but Kairi caught her mutter that she couldn't fight like this. A creature lunged for them - and was batted aside by a short, two-footed mouse holding a weapon like the woman's. She asked who he was, but the mouse brushed it off and told her to get Kairi to safety.

Kairi grunted as the woman scooped her up and ran for the steps to the castle. "Stay here and out of sight," she said, her tone firm, but gentle. Kairi nodded and ducked down behind the banister of the steps, barely peeking out to watch the woman return to the mouse with her strange sword armed and ready.

She couldn't help but notice that the woman stood perfectly poised, as if she were ready for a walk rather than a fight.

Kairi watched in awe as the fight unfolded, her eyes never leaving the woman. With elegant twirls and graceful cartwheels, she appeared to be dancing rather than fighting. And as often as she slashed and struck with her sword, she conjured orbs of fire, hurled chunks of ice, and summoned bolts of lightning against the monsters.

'Magic?' she wondered. What else could it be?

After what seemed as much an instant as an eternity, the monsters were gone and Kairi left her hiding place. The woman approached her and the mouse, and they spoke like old friends. They even called her "extraordinary". Without the monsters to distract her, Kairi realized just how lovely this mystery woman was. She wondered briefly if she would grow up to be as pretty as her.

As the mouse and woman reached to shake hands, something in his pocket began to glow and he shot into the air, like a comet. She watched after it for a moment before remembering the flowers clutched in her hand. She looked up at the woman and, with nary a second thought, held them out for her.

"Are these for me?" the woman asked, surprise in her tone. Kairi nodded.

"I picked you some flowers. Thank you for saving me." Sure, they were originally for her grandma, but this woman had more than earned them. She could pick more for her grandma later.

"Oh, they're lovely," the woman smiled. "You're so sweet."

"My name's Kairi," she said with a bow. Grandma had always told her to be polite, and part of politeness was introducing yourself. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, too," she replied. "I'm Aqua." Aqua's eyes turned pensive. "Kairi, about that light—" A familiar call of her name interrupted Aqua's question and she turned to greet her grandma. Before she could leave, Aqua stopped her for a moment. She placed her fingers against the pendant around her neck, the charm glowing with a faint pulse of light.

"I just cast a magic spell on you," she explained. So it was magic! "One day, when you're in trouble, the Light within you will lead you to the Light of another. Someone to keep you safe."

"Thanks!" Kairi smiled before rushing back to her grandma. She turned and waved goodbye to Aqua, who smiled radiantly and waved back. Without another thought, Kairi left with her grandma, asking for her favorite story about the Light and Darkness.

And though she didn't know it at the time, that was the last time she would see Aqua …

* * *

Kairi, back in the present, jerked from her slumber, her new book falling from her grasp. She rubbed her eyes, realizing she must have fallen asleep while reading. Just like back home. She leaned over and turned down her bedside lamp, the book placed on the nightstand, before tucking herself back into the blankets.

But even as she tried to fall back asleep, her thoughts kept returning to her dream. Her memory.

She had thought the memory had dulled over time, but she had dreamt it with perfect clarity. She recalled Aqua fighting those things, some kind of Heartless perhaps, with the utmost confidence. She could see with perfect detail the determined smile on the woman's lips as she battled the creatures.

As the cloak of sleep finally began to settle, Kairi clutched her blankets with rising conviction. No matter what it took, no matter how hard she had to work, she would catch up to Sora and Riku. And beyond that, she would catch up to Master Aqua. In swordplay and and magic, she would grow as strong as it took.

She would make her first Master proud.

 **And so begins Kairi's training!**

 ***Kairi's stance was something I made up myself. I was going to use a stance she had in Sora's vision in DDD, but I like this better. For a completely coincidental visual reference, look up an image of Jack Sparrow from _Kingdom Hearts II_. He holds his sword across his chest the same way. Then again, that may have helped inspire this - I always did like that pose as a kid. **

***Hope you all liked my explanation for Kairi's sudden sword skills. I think it makes a sort of backward sense, given the cosmology of the series. And the "life-and-death experience" thing is my personal head-canon about how some kid from a backwater world so quickly grows to smacking around Disney villains with barely a sweat.**

 ***Memory residing in the heart is actually canon. it's implied in _Chain of Memories_ , since Namine's powers over memory are connected to the heart and erasing one's memory completely would shatter it. And Yen Sid's exposition habits are a reference to _KHII_ , where his only role is to provide information on Heartless, Nobodies, and Organization XIII. **

***Hope you like Kairi's new outfit! I'm not usually good at that, but I wanted her to have something unique to this continuity.**

 ***Part of my head-canon is that Riku is something of a child prodigy. I mean, how many five-year-olds do you know who can get all philosophical like he did in BBS?**

 **Once again, leave a review! I love hearing from you all - it's a big part of what keeps me going!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

As the dawn emerged to illumine the Mysterious Tower, Yen Sid and Kairi knelt in an area of the isle that she had not seen yet. Behind the crooked tower itself stretched an expanse of hills covered with grass and wildflowers and dotted with groves of pine trees. In the shadow of a grove, apprentice knelt before Master.

"I presume you began to read the book I left for you?" Yen Sid asked. Kairi smiled and nodded. "Very good. Now tell me, what did you learn?"

Kairi took a deep breath before speaking, recalling what she could. "The word 'magic' is actually used for two separate things," she began. "First, it's a natural force all over the universe, like light, heat, or gravity. Everyone has magic inside, often called their 'magical power'. Second, the term is used for the art of focus and control of this internal mystic energy."

"Very good," Yen Sid complimented. "It seems you learn well from the written word." He closed his eyes and began his first lecture. "What few realize is that magic is channeled not by the heart, but by the will. The drive to _act_ that all possess. Yes, a strong heart can influence the potency of magic, but it is the will, the mind, that inspires it in the first place." And it was how those _without_ hearts were capable of using magic.

"While it is very much possible to channel magic unaided, such as through the hands and fingers, most mages utilize any number of foci, such as wands, staves, or specially-prepared accessories to better control it. This is especially important for beginners, as it allows them to focus their power faster, to attain a feel for the flow of magic. For now, you will channel your magic through your Keyblade." He grinned. "Which, as luck would have it, is one the most powerful foci in existence."

"As far as learning individual spells goes," he continued, "there are two methods in doing so. One can meditate on a spell for day or weeks to personally attain enlightenment in a certain power, or the power can be passed on from another. Arcane mentors can pass on fragments of their skills, and a mage of some experience can even attain new powers by defeating foes heavily aligned with a specific power."

"It is traditional to learn the spell for 'fire' first." He gestured for her to move forward. When she was close enough, Yen Sid placed a palm on her forehead … and Kairi felt a breeze stir around them, a sense of _something_ flow into her.

"You have attained the power of fire," he intoned, and stood from his kneeling position. With a wave of his hand, a line of wooden dummies appeared further up the hill. "Now, practice channeling that power." He moved away to give her space to work, and because he starkly recalled Mickey almost blasting him off this very hill when he began learning Fire.

Kairi stood and summoned Destiny's Embrace, glancing at Yen Sid before looking to her targets. She closed her eyes and thought of fire. She imagined the bonfires she and her friends had built on the beach for after-dark parties. She imagined the fireplace in her home on chilly nights, nestled in a fleece blanket with a good book. And she remembered a house burning down when she was nine, watching in horrified awe as the orange flames licked at the bricks of the house and brought it crumbling down.

For a moment, she felt like something stirred within her, but it escaped her mental grasp before she could get a handle on it, like smoke through her fingers. Breathing deeply to keep down her frustration, she tried to recall anything helpful that she had read in her new spellbook. A paragraph jumped to mind that had said that magic, while given shape by the mind, was most easily triggered by emotion, or the "memory of emotion".

Emotion, huh?

Kairi checked her breathing and remembered a time that made her angry. A dozen memories shuffled through her mind's eye, each that made her clench her teeth, but one struck harder than any other. It didn't just make her angry … it was far more than that.

She remembered when Sora had freed her heart. She could almost see the glimmers of Light as his body dissolved into nothing, scattered by her presence. She remembered the confusion … that had quickly blossomed into righteous fury. It had been brief, before Ansem had appeared and Riku had held him off, but it was there. That white-hot anger - at herself, for leading Sora into that situation.

The feeling from before rose up like a roaring wave and she grabbed hold of it, forcing her will upon it. She forced it through her arm, through her hand, and through her Keyblade. She locked her gaze onto a distant target and pointed her Keyblade at it. She barely heard herself shout "Fire" before a ball of orange flames shot from the tip of her weapon to smash into the dummy.

The wooden target hadn't a chance.

* * *

Master Aqua panted and banished Master's Keeper, gaze sweeping over the broken black crags of the Realm of Darkness. She had learned long ago that having her Keyblade dormant kept the Heartless from tracking her. At least a little bit. She took shelter beneath a close outcropping and took a breath to calm herself, slipping into a light meditative trance with practiced ease to rejuvenate her magic.

As her magic returned to its peak, she felt that familiar sense of warmth in her heart. She looked up to find the visage of a young girl before her, a soft smile on her face. Without a word, she turned away and faded to nothingness.

Aqua stayed there, wondering what that had been until she felt the presences of more Heartless approaching. She broke out into a jog with long, loping strides that she could keep up for hours. And all the while navigating the crumbling stones of these dark cliffs, she continued to wonder in the back of her mind about that vision.

Why had that girl seemed so familiar?

* * *

As Kairi grinned at her success, she couldn't help but notice something different. It wasn't that she was tired, per se, but some part of her felt … drained. Must be her internal magic. The book had said it was a finite amount, and her fragmented memories of Sora's adventure supported that fact. It had also said that limit could be pushed with practice and experience.

Shaking off her musings, Kairi reached for her inner-magic, the energy rising much faster. Experience, huh? She blasted the two remaining dummies to burning splinters, taking note of how each spell drained her magic. She looked to Yen Sid, who nodded before conjuring a large orb of light.

"Now, let us see how you fare against a moving target." The orb began to bob and weave, changing direction and altitude at seemingly random intervals. Kairi fired her spell at it, the magic channeling faster than ever, but the orb evaded its gently-curving path. She fired again, twice in rapid succession, and still missed.

With a deep breath, Kairi focused as hard as she could, trying to anticipate the orb's path in any way she could. Wait for it … She fired again, the flaming missile curving and striking the orb into motes of light. She fist-pumped in success, she concentrated for another spell … and found nothing. Her internal magic was gone.

"And so you have discovered your limitation," Yen Sid observed.

"How do I get it back?" Kairi asked. The book hadn't gotten into detail about that yet.

"One's personal reserve of magic replenishes over time, as their body absorbs it from their surroundings. How fast it recovers depends on the individual. With training, you body can learn to restore its magic with greater speed, as well as expand your reserves." He stroked his beard in thought. "For the rest of the morning, you will practice this spell and come to understand your limitations." He waved his hand, conjuring more wooden dummies. Much thicker-looking dummies.

"Begin," he commanded, tossing her a strange cube of blue material. Recognizing an ether from her book, Kairi crushed it in her hand, a burst of magic rushing into her and fully restoring her reserves. Stamping down the impulse to cut loose, she focused and fired off a single Fire spell, watching as it shattered part of a dummy. She bit her lip in thought before reordering her emotions and firing again, with slightly different results.

She continued to tweak her spell, as much as she could, until her magic ran dry, then sunk to her knees, Destiny's Embrace resting across her thighs, to wait out the return of her power. After the third or fourth repetition, she decided to count how long it took her to return to full power. After several more, she determined that it took about three minutes to return from exhaustion, but far less if it had something to build on.

Filing that away, she continued to practice her Fire spell. As the day wore on, she saw a marked improvement. Whereas at the beginning she could only shatter a small portion of her targets, she eventually moved up to breaking apart half of them in one spell.

As the lights in the sky that took place of the sun reached the peak of their brightness, Yen Sid approached and placed a hand on her Keyblade, prompting her to banish it. He pointed his hand, only two fingers pointing, and a ball of fire the size of a seagull egg from the islands shot from his fingertips to smash apart two separate targets. As Kairi stared, mouth open in awe, Yen Sid's expression hadn't changed a bit.

"Call that a demonstration. Keep up your practice and you will someday reach that level." With that he began making his way back to the tower, presumably for lunch. Kairi was still staring at the shattered targets, pieces of them still burning, when her rumbling stomach snapped her out of it. Without another thought, she ran to catch up to her Master for lunch.

After lunch of a thick beef-and-vegetable stew, Yen Sid brought Kairi back out to the back of the tower, a new sparring circle sculpted into a large patch of bare soil. This one was far more clean-lined and elaborate, its edges decorated with all kinds of arcane-looking symbols. He stood at the far end of the circle, Kairi in the center.

"As the morning was spent gaining some familiarity with magic," he explained, "now we will begin honing your casting under pressure." A snap of his fingers conjured a quartet of traditional wooden targets, like the ones archers used to practice, that began lazily floating around him in random directions. "You will use your Fire spell to destroy these targets," he lifted a hand that was engulfed in flames, "while avoiding counter fire." The grin that spread across his lips was very unsettling. "Begin."

No sooner had he said the word than he launched a mass of fire at her, forcing her to spin out of its way. Another attack followed and she slashed it out of the air, mindful of using one hand rather than Sora's two-handed style. It was then that she realized how hard it was going to be to relearn some of her new skills. Which, of course, she had no time to think about as she cartwheeled out of the way of Yen Sid's spells. And to make matters even more fun, he was mixing in ice magic, now.

As she spun out of the way of his next attack, Kairi dove into her magic, the action now almost as natural as breathing, and channeled it into a burst of fire. But while her focus was adequate for spellcasting, she had instinctively fired at what she deemed the biggest threat. Her fire soared at her Master … and dispersed against a transparent barrier of hexagons, which faded as quickly as it had appeared.

"Be mindful, child," Yen Sid scolded, before firing another shard of ice at her. She deflected the ice and fired again, this time at one of her targets. Her aim was true this time, and it struck the target to splinters. One down - three to go. She ducked under a fireball and fired at another target, the circle of wood veering away to survive by mere inches.

As the exercise carried on, Kairi soon began panting from exertion. Casting magic may not tire her out in the traditional way, but all this dodging and avoiding certainly did. And the more tired she got, the harder it was to aim or to avoid counterfire, which had hit her four or five times. And it didn't help matters that she had reached her magical limit twice since hitting her first target, only having shattered one more in return.

And yet, the worst part (arguably) was that she new, deep in her gut, that Yen Sid was holding back. His spells were measured, methodical, the time consistent between each firing. He was going easy on her, allowing her to focus on her task in a way that real enemies never would. And she couldn't bring herself to be angry about it, only grateful that the task wasn't even worse.

As her magic returned, Kairi jumped and fired at a target on the far right, her spell hitting home to turn it to splinters. But as she hit the ground, one of Yen Sid's ice spells struck her shoulder, its sheer cold like a punch to the gut. And that moment of distraction left her vulnerable to fire that seared her clothes and sent her to the ground.

"Up, Kairi!" Yen Sid shouted. "To fall in battle is to die!" He fired off another spell and she barely rolled out of the way. Gathering what magic she could, she focused her attention on the final target and fired. The target veered to avoid it … and flew right into its path to be destroyed like its fellows.

With a sigh of relief, Kairi collapsed to her knees, panting as if she had run a marathon. As she caught her breath, the burning sensation from her brush with fire was wiped away as she was surrounded by soft green light. A quick glance upward caught the fading image of a bouquet of pink bell-shaped flowers.

As she struggled to her feet, Yen Sid approached and narrowed his eyes at her. After a few moments, she began to grow self-conscious. "I must admit, I did not expect you to do so well," he noted.

"Well?" she asked incredulously. "It took me, like, ten minutes to destroy four targets!" She knew she was being rude, but as tired as she was she couldn't bring herself to care. Yen Sid's glare in reply made her duck her head in shame.

"Watch your tone, my apprentice," he warned. "And yes, you did well. You were only struck by a half dozen of my own spells. And while you allowed yourself to become flustered more than once, you regained your composure and finished strongly." He stroked his beard as he continued. "But in the heat of battle, losing your composure in the first place can be a deadly mistake. For no warrior is this more true than a mage." The grim look in his eyes hammered the point home, and Kairi nodded shakily.

Yen Sid nodded at her unspoken apology and conjured a table with refreshments and an awning for shade. "Take a break and we will continue with your swordplay," he gently ordered, and returned to the tower. Kairi entered the shade of the awning and downed a bottle of water before laying on the grass and promptly beginning to snore.

Sleep now, train later.

* * *

After her afternoon of sword training, Kairi was denied the sanctuary of her room by Yen Sid's orders to help prepare dinner. "Keybearers are rarely blessed with their amenities provided when on other worlds, and so must know how to take care of themselves," he explained. He directed Kairi to begin shredding chicken while he began preparing biscuits from scratch.

A shredded chicken, a mass of kneaded and cut dough, and a jar of chicken stock later, Kairi's mouth watered at the smell of simmering chicken-and-dumplings and freshly baking bread. It crossed her mind that Yen Sid seemed to have a thing for comfort food. Then again, she realized, perhaps this was for her benefit. Whether it was or not, she was touched.

After the food was finished cooking, the pair removed them from the heat and served themselves, eating in silence. As Kairi savored the last bite of her stew, tearing a biscuit in half to seep up the gravy, a thought struck her out of the blue.

"Master?" she asked. He looked up in answer. "My book said that emotion helps fuel magic, or 'memory of emotion'. What's the difference?" Yen Sid's gaze seemed to grow … remote. As if he were forcibly keeping himself silent.

"That is a lesson for a later time," he finally answered. Kairi would have pressed the matter, but something told her that would be a bad idea. So, she decided on another question.

"Master? What happened to Master Aqua?" She knew nothing about what had happened so long ago, why she had never seen Aqua since their first meeting. Yen Sid had implied that Aqua should be the one overseeing her training - so where was she?

"I do not know for certain," he answered stoically. "Years ago, presumably not long after she met you, Master Aqua came to me with one of her fellow apprentices in her arms. The boy, Ventus, was in a deep sleep. His heart had been shattered in battle with a great evil. I could no longer sense it within him, but I don't believe it is gone. After hiding away Ventus's body, Aqua left to battle a fearsome enemy." His fingers curled in agitation. "In all the years since then, I have not once felt her presence among the stars."

Kairi looked down at her empty plate, suddenly feeling sick. Her Master was gone?! "You mean she's …?"

"She is not dead, Kairi," he assured. "That much I am certain of. But as for her whereabouts, I have only theory and conjecture." Which was partly true. He was all-but-certain that Aqua had been trapped in the Realm of Darkness during her battle with Xehanort. He was merely uncertain of her whereabouts within the Realm itself. And he felt it best that Kairi not know this, otherwise she may attempt to spearhead a rescue long before she was ready.

As Yen Sid returned to his meal, he straightened up, eyes wide as he sensed the trigger of one of his isle's outlying defenses. The most distant were merely alarms, meant to signal the approach of a threat to great for his other defenses to repel. Hel glanced at Kairi, eyes narrowed.

"Kairi, return to your chambers. There is a matter I must deal with." And with a sweep of his robes, he was gone. Kairi hesitated before running to the nearest window. She swept her gaze over the hills to find a speck of blue in the greenery, moving to the edge of the tiny world.

Kairi bit her lip in thought before nodding to herself and heading for the nearest door. Whatever this "business" was, she wanted to be there to do what she could.

She would not be a burden again.

* * *

After finally catching up with her Master, Kairi peeked out from behind a large tree, her eyes wide at the sight before her. The edge of the isle was shielded by a massive, semi-transparent wall of violet energy. Cracks festooned the surface, caused by a great tide of Heartless. And though the barrier seemed to be fighting back, there seemed to be no limit to their number.

Thin humanoids with long tendrils protruding from their heads clawed at the barrier, each destroyed one replaced by three others. Fearsome winged Heartless with great horns and large swords slashed at the barrier, while glass globes with feathered wings fired spells at it.

And in the center of it all stood a towering monstrosity. A quadrupedal Heartless with curving tusks and an obsidian horn in its forehead rammed at the violet wall, cracks forming and widening with each strike. Finally, it rose up on its hind legs and slammed into the barrier, shattering it to pieces and allowing its brethren in.

No sooner had the first wave of Heartless crossed onto the isle than a wave of white lightning rained down from on high, vaporizing them on the spot. Kairi looked to Yen Sid, perfectly poised and Keyblade in hand. With a wave of his Keyblade, a great orb of golden light formed above him as an eldritch crest grew beneath his feet. With a shout, he ignited the spell, and blazing, burning Light burst from the orb.

As the spots faded from Kairi's vision, she gasped at the sight of the battlefield. All that remained was the massive horned Heartless. Everything else had been blasted to nothingness!

The great Heartless, apparently stunned by the powerful spell, shook itself and stood. With a twist of its neck, pillars of dark energy cascaded from the sky. Yen Sid merely summoned a magical dome that absorbed the attack and shattered, striking back at the Heartless. The heartless leapt forward to crash where Yen Sid was standing, forcing the old Master to dodge. With an audible grunt, he summoned a great ball of fire and launched it at the Heartless's horn, stunning the creature.

With a shout, he bodily leapt at the Heartless, his Keyblade slicing its horn clean off. He landed with unnatural grace as the monster wailed in agony, its body crumbling into purple dust and a massive glowing heart arising to fade away to wherever they went after being freed.

Kairi pressed her hands to her mouth to muffle her joy. Joy that faded into terror as Yen Sid crumpled to his knees, supported by his Keyblade. Without thought, she rushed to help him up. But before she could draw near, he vanished in a whorl of blue smoke.

"Apprentice," he said from behind, causing her to yelp in surprise, "didn't I order you to return to your room?"

Kairi had the decency to look abashed, her cheeks rapidly matching her hair. "I- I just-" She struggled to verbalize her emotions before deflating and settling on the simplest truth. "I just wanted to help," she said.

"Your courage is admirable," he said lowly, "but recklessness is not something to be encouraged." He stroked his beard. "We will discuss your punishment for disobedience later. For now," he pointed back to the tower, "return to your chambers." Unlike before, his tone left no room for argument.

As Kairi began the walk back, she yelped as something swatted her backside and she quickened her pace. Yen Sid smirked, a broom in his hand, as the memory of mickey's greatest bout of "recklessness" came to mind. In a flash of light, the broom was replaced by the Star Seeker and he turned to the edge of his isle. He raised his hands, one bearing the Keyblade, and set to work on repairing his wards, as well as strengthening them.

It would not do to have a Princess of Heart be lost on his watch. Especially not if she were his own apprentice.

* * *

As Kairi closed the door to her room, she rubbed her rear before sitting on her bed. That had felt like an old-school straw broom, but where had he gotten it? Duh, sorcerer - magic. With that thought, Kairi glanced at the book on her nightstand, surprised to find a pair of new ones underneath. She picked them up and examined them.

One was _'A Bestiary on Heartless'_ , a guide to the various types of Heartless that roamed the worlds. The other was _'The Shapes and Powers of Magic'_ , a more in-depth look at the elemental types of magic. Kairi smiled and sat to begin reading the latter, beginning with the chapter on Fire.

Though before she could get comfortable, she noticed the light from her window gradually fading. It must be turning to full night. She glanced at the kerosene lamp on her bedside table and smiled as an idea formed in her mind. She gently took hold of her magic, channeling it into her fingertips and thinking of candlelight. She snapped her fingers … And the lamp lit of its own accord.

Kairi giggled to herself and relaxed, book at the ready. After all, yesterday and today had basically been warm-ups, intro days. Tomorrow, she felt, was when things would really get serious! And overall, she wouldn't want it any other way.

 **How'd y'all like Kairi's first lesson in magic?**

 ***The "magic is everywhere" thing is my best explanation for how MP works in-game. Personally, I liked the first game's MP set up better than KH2. Yen Sid granting her the "power of fire" is a reference to how Sora would get new magic in KH1. And the explanation for how one gets these "powers" comes from Sora's sources, some good/neutral (Donald, Phil, the Cheshire Cat/Pongo &Perdita) some bad (Jafar/Genie-Jafar, Clayton/Stealth Sneak, Ursula).**

 ***The "mind over magic" thing is my idea of how Nobodies can use magic when they have no hearts. Or the Lingering Will, for that matter.**

 ***As for the "seagull egg" comment, who else thought that egg from Destiny Islands was huge?**

 ***For those of you concerned that Kairi may be picking up magic too quick to be realistic, remember that Sora did pretty well after meeting Donald.**

 ***The Heartless that attacked the Mysterious Tower were a huge group of Neoshadows and Angel Stars (KH1), led by a Behemoth. Yen Sid's attacks were basically a fourth (maybe fifth) tier Thunder and a one-man Trinity Limit.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Over the next few weeks, Kairi's training picked up something of a routine. Homemade breakfast at dawn, followed by swordsmanship or physical training in the morning. Lunch, also homemade, followed by magic practice in the afternoons. The evenings were her free time, which she spent reading, resting, or practicing freehanded magic.

As the days passed, she felt herself growing stronger. Her muscles became harder, more lean. Her reactions, sharpened by her time with Sora, were honed to a razor's edge. She lasted longer in extended trials, and recovered faster. But above all, her agility blossomed! Her fighting style resembled more of a dance than combat, with flips, twirls, and cartwheels that left Yen Sid's Apparitions and conjured targets in the dust!

And as her body grew strong, so did her magic. As predicted, Kairi had excelled in the mystic arts, her focus even sharper to master them. After mastering the Fire spell, Yen Sid had granted her the power of ice, followed by thunder. After mastering what he called the "great trio", he moved on to the power of healing. Kairi had been ecstatic to learn Cure, and had honed it on her own time to point of nearing the power of Cura.

And while she was more than happy with her progress, Kairi couldn't help but feel lately as if her progress were … growing flat. She wasn't sure why she felt this way, but the thought had arose a few days prior and would not leave her alone. As she ate dinner with Yen Sid, she finally decided to give it voice.

"Master?" she asked. Respect was always a good way to open a conversation.

"Yes?" he asked mildly.

"Is it normal for a student to feel … like they've hit a roadblock?"

Yen Sid glanced at her, his face an impassive mask. "Your progress is quite acceptable, Kairi," he answered, tone unchanged.

"I don't mean my progress," she said, trying to untangle her thoughts as she spoke. "I just feel …" She trailed off, uncertain herself how she felt. She tried to place a word for it, but couldn't.

"Perhaps you've had too much routine," he supplied, sipping his tea.

Kairi's eyes widened as her thoughts clicked into place. "That's it!" she shouted, before blushing at her own outburst and running a hand through her hair.

"As fate would have it," Yen Sid continued, "I have been considering the same thing." In times past, it had been common for Masters with one or two students to allow them to explore other worlds. It not only taught them new experiences, but gave them an appreciation for the task they would take on upon becoming Masters themselves. And it served as a practical form of day-off. "In the morning we will forgo further training and spend the day in a nearby world. I would recommend you retire early to rest."

Kairi gaped at the sorcerer before smiling and rushing to give him a quick hug. Yen Sid, unused to physical contact, barely had time to become uncomfortable before she was gone to her room. He straightened his robes and returned to his tea, a small smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

Oh to be young again, when the littlest things made all the difference.

* * *

As the clouds beneath the isle grew brighter with the dawn, Kairi stood near the end of the path to the tower's entrance, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement for her day off. She had a small bag slung over her shoulder to rest on the opposite hip, packed with snacks, a spare set of clothes, and anything else she might need. She had no idea where they were going, so preparation was ideal.

Finally, Yen Sid strode down the path to come to a stop at the lip of the isle, facing the color-strewn void. He wove his hands and snapped his fingers, summoning twin lines of glowing magic to cross the edge of the cliff. A train approached on the lines of magic, train tracks Kairi realized, and came to a gentle stop before them. The doors opened and Yen Sid ushered her inside, the train beginning to move before they had a chance to sit.

"Kairi," Yen Sid said, drawing her attention, "as we travel, you must be warned of dangers that may lurk." Kairi settled in her seat, hands in her lap. Yen Sid smiled before continuing. "Due to your … unique nature, those knowledgeable in the use of the Darkness, or advanced magic, can track you wherever you go. In my domain, you are protected, and Destiny Islands had a way of masking your Light with its own warm glow. But that is not the case in other worlds. When you visit other worlds in my care," he waved a hand, a cloth appearing in his grip, "you will wear this."

He handed the cloth to her for her to examine. As she unfolded it, she realized it wasn't a simple cloth, but a thin coat. The material was soft under her fingers and colored a beige off-white. A hood topped the coat, with the lines of the hood extending into lapels, while zippers decorated the shoulder seams and breast pockets. Overall, it would extend to about mid-thigh.

"What's this for?" she asked. Given that he had yet to change from his robes, she doubted their destination was very cold.

"This coat is based on an ancient design of enchanted Black Coats, worn by Keybearers of old to protect them from the Darkness of the Lanes Between. They fell out of fashion with the advent of Keyblade Armor. Though, a certain … group have seen them make a resurgence." Kairi noted the pause before "group" and determined to ask about it later.

"I created this coat, however, for an inverse purpose. Rather than protecting you from the Darkness, which is redundant as you have none to exacerbate, it will mask the beacon of your Light and allow you to roam the worlds unnoticed."

Kairi looked back to the coat and shrugged before pulling it on. As she zipped up the front, she couldn't feel any difference, but she trusted her Master and his skills. As she wriggled her shoulders to get a feel for her new coat, the skies outside changed in a blaze of light into a city.

Kairi jumped to the window to look at this new world. A sleepy-looking town of brick buildings sped by, painted orange in the light of a setting sun. "Is it evening already here?" she asked aloud.

"No," Yen Sid answered. "This world is caught in a state of perpetual sunset. As such, the residents have come to name this world 'Twilight Town'." Kairi mulled this information over as she continued to look over the town. Soon enough, the train slowed and eventually came to a stop.

The doors opened to an ordinary train station, the locals seeming unfazed by the star-decorated blue train with a pointy hat as its smokestack. Perhaps the train was hidden by magic, or maybe the locals were familiar with it.

As Kairi glanced to her master, her eyes widened in surprise. Gone were his wizardly robes and pointed hat. In their place, he wore a navy three-piece suit over a white dress shirt, the golden chain of a pocket watch in his vest pocket. But more surprising than anything was his hair - or lack thereof. The crown of Yen Sid's head was bare, even as his iron-grey hair fell past his shoulders.

'So that's what he hides under that hat,' Kairi thought.

"Shall we?" Yen Sid asked before walking toward the exit, his black dress shoes clicking on the concrete. Kairi nodded to herself and sped up to catch him before falling into the same pace.

The pair emerged onto a plaza paved with orange bricks, granting a lovely view of the sunset and the rest of the city below. She followed Yen Sid through an archway labeled "Station Heights" and down the sloping streets, passing residents of the town along their way. At the base of the street, they passed through another archway, this time marked "Tram Common", to emerge onto a large marketplace.

A thin crowd was spread across the Common among the various shops. A candy shop, restaurants, clothing stores, accessory shops, even weapon shops. A small train weaved its way on a track set in the Common, moving small groups from place to place. And through it all was a buzz of friendly conversation.

Kairi pulled a small pouch of munny from her bag, thoughts of how to spend it whirling through her head. She looked to Yen Sid for permission, to which he merely nodded his head. Kairi smiled in thanks and rushed to a stand selling pretzels, purchasing a bacon-cheddar for herself and a plain-salted for Yen Sid. When she returned and handed him the pastry, he looked surprised. With a slight shrug, he bit into it with a stoic look, his version of a small smile.

As they finished their pretzels, the duo continued to walk through town, eventually leaving the Tram Common for something called the "Sandlot". As they emerged into the square, built for competitions, it seemed, Kairi's attention was drawn to a conflict in the corner.

A boy with slicked-back blonde hair was arguing with a taller boy in a beanie and white coat. The first boy was being held back by a stout boy in a sports jersey and a kind-looking brunette girl, while the other was backed up by a heavily-muscled boy and a girl with blue hair.

Concerned, and more than a little curious, she approached and caught some of the conversation. "You don't own these streets, Seifer! My friends and I can do what we want!" shouted the first boy. The boy in the beanie just smirked, as if saying 'you have no clue what you're saying'.

"Go back to your little hideout, punk. The Disciplinary Committee has more important things to do than worry about you lamers."

Even if she had never been here before, Kairi knew who to side with. "Hey!" Her shout drew the two trios' attention and she stomped up to this 'Seifer'. "What exactly is the problem here?"

"Buzz off, sweet cheeks," Seifer scoffed. "This is none of your business."

But Kairi didn't hear anything after "sweet cheeks". Not a split-second after he finished, Kairi punched him straight in the face. With her muscles honed by Yen Sid's training, the unexpected blow sent Seifer sprawling and red flying from his nose. After a stunned second, his friends moved to block him from view.

"Hey, you better cut that out, y'know," the big guy said.

"Scram," the girl added.

Kairi folded her arms, her feet set as she stood her ground. "I didn't let my best friends in the world call me names like that," she revealed. "What makes you think I'd let some random jerk get away with it?" The big guy took a step back, suddenly nervous. This slip of a girl showed no fear of them and it was creeping him out. The girl seemed unaffected, but non-aggressive.

It was only when Seifer staggered to his feet, fingers clutching his nose, that they broke eye contact. "Rai, Fuu, let's go. We've got better things to do than tango with some punk stranger." The words were tough, but the twitch in his eye showed that he was just as scared as his friends. Maybe even moreso. With as much dignity as was possible with a bloody nose, the trio departed.

It was only after they had left that the sound of laughter registered. She glanced back to find the other group laughing, the blond boy actually in tears. Suddenly aware that she had made a scene, Kairi blushed. "Sorry about that," she said. "I just don't like bullies. Or misogynists."

The stout boy waved it off. "Hey, don't mention it," he assured.

"Yeah," the blonde added. "Anyone who can stand up to Seifer is okay with us."

"I'm Olette," the girl said. "This is Hayner," the blond nodded, "and Pence," the stout boy waved. "I've never seen you around here before," she added.

Kairi blushed at being singled out so easily. "Oh, uh, yeah. I'm … visiting with my uncle," she lied quickly. Yen Sid had been quite clear that the biggest no-no of travel between worlds was revealing the fact that there _were_ other worlds. A girl traveling with her uncle may be odd, but it wouldn't raise suspicions. Right?

"Is that him?" Pence asked, gesturing behind her. Kairi glanced back to find Yen Sid waiting patiently. With a wince, she realized she had held him up with her little spat. "Yeah, that's him," she confirmed.

"You're old man Sid's niece?" Hayner asked incredulously. "I didn't think he had any family."

Kairi's eyebrow shot up in confusion before Olette came to her rescue. "Mister Sid is kind of a recluse. He comes to town every so often, but he doesn't really have any friends. Heck, if he lived anywhere near town, I wouldn't be surprised if little kids would ring his doorbell for thrills." She smiled apologetically through the whole explanation.

"Wow, I didn't realize I had a famous uncle," she replied with a smile. And it honestly surprised her that Yen sid came here enough to at least be recognized. Frankly, she had always assumed he really _was_ a recluse. It seemed even old sorcerers-slash-retired Keyblade Masters had to stretch their legs sometimes.

"Hey," Pence said, "we were gonna go get some ice cream. You wanna come with us?" A quick look at Hayner and Olette showed welcoming looks. Kairi pursed her lips and looked back to Yen Sid, who merely nodded. She waved at him with a bright smile.

"Sure, I'd love to come!" she replied.

* * *

After buying ice cream sticks from the candy shop, the gang led Kairi to a side alley off the Station Heights and to a small alcove. A battered loveseat and a bunch of crates provided furniture, which the gang settled across. Olette smiled and gestured for her to take a seat. Kairi smiled and sat next to her on the couch while Pence passed out the ice cream. Kairi examined the treat, surprised by its sky-blue color.

"Hope you don't mind," Pence said. "Guess we just got it out of habit."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Sea-salt flavor," Olette explained. "Go on, try it!"

Kairi gave the ice cream one more dubious look before taking a tentative lick. She gasped in surprise. "It's salty … but sweet!" And not at all unpleasant! She took a bite from the bar and hummed in pleasure. She should find out how to get this to the Islands!

"Told ya she'd like it!" Hayner teased, biting into his own ice cream. Pence and Olette merely rolled their eyes in reply. The whole exchange made Kairi smile, memories of her childhood with Sora and Riku coming to mind. This trio seemed to have a similar kind of mechanic.

"So how long are you in town for?" Olette asked.

"Oh, uh, just for today," she answered. "I've been kind of homeschooled by my uncle for the past few weeks. You know, broadening my horizons and stuff. Uncle Sid thought it would be a good idea to take a day off." Kairi took another bite, uncomfortable with bending the truth. Even if it was necessary.

"Ah," Olette replied, "well why don't we show you around? Twilight town's not that big, but we have some good sights."

"Hey, we could even check out that old mansion!" Pence added.

That peaked Kairi's interest. "Old mansion?" She had always liked old out-of-the-way places, like the Secret Place or the waterway in Traverse Town.

"Yeah, outside the city wall," Hayner explained. "Some people say it's haunted. Me? I think it's just old."

"Cool!" Kairi said. "When can we go?"

"We can go right now, if you want," Olette said, finishing her ice cream. She collected the bare sticks and placed them in a box labelled "recycle" before they departed.

The group led the way back through the Tram Common and to a crack in the wall that Kairi had somehow missed the first time through. The crack led to a dark forest, shadows seeming to cling to every surface. The sudden darkness brought a worm of doubt, but the fact that the others moved into it so freely helped her relax. Kairi resisted the urge to summon her Keyblade, especially among locals, but decided to prepare a few freehanded spells.

After all, Yen Sid often said "A Keybearer is always prepared". And that Heartless could appear anywhere.

After a few minutes trekking through the woods, the group came upon a clearing that revealed the ornate iron gates of a large manor, a huge lock bolting the gates closed. A closer look showed broken statuary and pillars dotting the inner courtyard. A crest resembling the clock tower rested above the doorway.

"Wow," Kairi said. Se couldn't help but wonder what this place would have looked like in its prime. Even now she wanted to see what it was like inside. Her gaze flicked to the wrought-iron lock, but she cast the thought aside. No Keyblade in front of the others.

But she resolved to see the inside of that mansion one day.

"So, anything else spooky?" she asked.

"Well, there's the Underground Tunnels," Pence suggested. "They run all beneath Twilight Town. They even connect to Sunset Terrace at the edge of the city."

"Yeah, they're actually a pretty quick way to travel on crowded days," Hayner added. "If you don't get lost, that is."

"There's even an entrance close to the Usual Spot," Olette said.

"Sounds fun!" Kairi said. And that settled that.

The group headed back through the woods and the crack in the wall, making their way back through the Tram Common and to a shuttered doorway in the perimeter of the marketplace. Remarkably, the doors were unlocked and Hayner led the way through.

As they roamed the tunnels, Kairi smiled. She briefly wondered why these tunnels were abandoned before her step faltered. She placed a hand on her heart as she felt something squeezing it, like a force trying to wear her down. Her eyes widened as she placed the unsettlingly familiar feeling.

Darkness was near!

Without thought, Kairi bolted, following the feeling rather than fleeing from it. Hayner, Pence and Olette called out to her, but she didn't have time to think about it. She kept running, the feeling getting somehow both stronger and weaker. Stronger like she was drawing near the source, but weaker like it was losing effect on her.

Finally, she emerged into a kind of central chamber, a nexus for the tunnels. And in the chamber stood something that stole the breath from her lungs. Descriptions from the Heartless Bestiary sprung to mind and she remembered its title.

Darkballs. A half-dozen of them seemed to be searching the inner chamber. Then, as one, they stiffened and turned in her direction. With a determined frown, Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace and prepared to fight.

A Darkball lunged at her, maw chomping away, only to be blown back by a Fire spell. Kairi grinned at the results of her marksmanship training before firing off a Blizzard spell. Ice crystals spread from the tip of her Keyblade to blast all of the Darkballs. Before they could recover, she rushed forward and slashed at one, flowing through attacks until it burst into a cloud of Darkness.

She had little time to savor her victory before another one dove at her, forcing her back. She retaliated with an uppercut before finishing it off with a two-handed blow. Two down - four to go.

Kairi grinned and cast Thunder, bolts of lightning striking each Heartless in turn. On instinct, she threw her Keyblade at one, the creature bursting apart before her weapon returned to her hand. She took a breath and jumped back onto a ledge, avoiding a bobbing attack from one of the remaining Darkballs. Another fire spell destroyed it.

That left one remaining, so where- A cloud of purple rushed toward her, reforming into the last Darkball to knock her back. Kairi shook it off and dove out of the way of another biting lunge. With a growl, she stood and readied her stance. And she waited.

As expected, the Darkball took another biting lunge, diving for her. But rather than dodge, she swung to meet it attack, dazing the creature before she finished it with a decisive blow.

Kairi let out a pent-up breath as her heart rate returned to normal. Then she smiled at the thought of winning her first battle against the Heartless. At this rate, she'd be at Sora and Riku's level in no time!

Before she could go to try and find her friends, Kairi started as her Keyblade began to glow. A warmth arose in her heart and she looked up. In the wall of the central chamber, a shape outlined itself in white light, before revealing a Keyhole. The Keyhole of Twilight Town.

Kairi smiled and pointed Destiny's Embrace at the shape, motes of Light gathering to fire off into the opening. Like before, she felt the click of the Keyhole sealing through her weapon before it faded away into the light, leaving behind only a lighter etching in the chamber wall.

With a satisfied huff, Kairi dismissed her Keyblade and turned to leave … and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Hayner, Pence, and Olette. All three of them were gaping at her, eyes wide as saucers.

"Um …" Kairi stalled, "... how much of that did you see?" She smiled to try and seem non-threatening, but she had a feeling it came out as more of a grimace. Great. She had just broken one of the cardinal rules of Keybearers and maybe even lost some new friends.

"We saw you fight those things …" Hayner answered.

"And seal that hole in the wall with your sword," Pence added. Kairi looked to her shoes, shame closing over her like an ocean wave.

"Guys," Olette scolded, "come on. Look at her, she's trembling like a leaf!" The brunette approached and placed her hands on Kairi's shoulders, drawing the redhead's gaze to her own. "That was amazing," she said honestly.

"Those things have been causing trouble for months," Pence said, "and no one can do more than trap them. But you took them out without a sweat!" His tone held no scorn, only friendly support.

"No wonder you drove Seifer off like he was nothing," Hayner said, arms crossed. "He must look like a shrimp compared to fighting those things."

Kairi smiled at their praise, blushing furiously. "Thanks," she said.

"Hey, it's getting late," Pence observed, checking his watch. "Should we get you back to your uncle?"

Kairi paled as she remembered Yen Sid and nodded fiercely. The group made their way back through a different set of tunnels, eventually emerging near the train station. If Yen Sid was going to appear anywhere, it was here.

"Thanks for the tour, guys. It was really fun!" Every word was the truth. She had been just as eager to explore other worlds as Riku and Sora, and actually doing it has been so fun!

"Hey, Kairi?" Pence asked, apparently nervous. "Can I see that crazy sword you were using earlier. I want to check something."

Kairi looked away as she thought it over, then shrugged. She lifted her hand and summoned Destiny's Embrace for examination. "Don't try and take it," she warned lightly, "it doesn't like other people holding it."

Pence nodded and examined the weapon from every angle, hand on his chin in thought. "You've never been to Twilight Town before today, right?" he asked.

Kairi nodded in confirmation. "Why?" she asked, wondering why it was relevant.

"Well, those monsters you fought earlier used to be a pretty big problem. But about a month ago, they started disappearing. Rumor has it that a bunch of folks in black trenchcoats have been taking them out. But they apparently try to avoid the public view. At least one uses a weapon that looks like that," he gestured at the Keyblade. "Just wondering if you knew anything about that."

Kairi looked down in thought, her eyes on her new jacket. Hadn't Yen Sid said something about black coats earlier? And if Pence was right, was there really another Keyblade wielder out there? Could it be Sora, or was it someone else? As she thought it over, she decided to play dumb.

"Sorry," she said. "I don't know anything about any guys in black coats." Which was actually true - she _didn't_ know anything. The best she had was speculation. Pence smiled and nodded.

As the group sat on the steps of the train station and continued to talk, they eventually noticed Yen Sid approaching. Kairi stood and brushed herself off before nodding to her Master, a placeholder for the bow she would usually offer. After all, it would be weird to bow to her uncle.

"There you are," Yen Sid said, tone faintly worried. But Kairi could tell it was an act for the trio's sake. For all she knew, he had been watching her the entire time with magic. "Ready to go?" Another act - it was an order. Kairi smiled and nodded, following the sorcerer into the station.

"It was so nice to meet you, Kairi!" Olette said, hugging the girl. "You should visit more often." Kairi returned the hug and assured her that she would visit again, even if she didn't know when. She traded goodbyes with Hayner and Pence as well. With a final wave, she followed Yen Sid onto his magic train. The doors closed and she looked at them through the windows, a smile brightening her eyes.

As the train picked up speed, she gazed at the passing city until it blurred into white light and passed into the Realms Between. Next stop, the Mysterious Tower. As she thought about her new friends, a thought crossed her mind that made her smirk.

"Master?" she asked. He peeked one eye open from his meditation in acknowledgement. "I couldn't help but notice that my outfit looks a lot like Olette's." It was true - aside from a different color shirt and different designs, the two could have been dressed like twins. "Did you get the idea for this," she gestured at herself, "from her?"

Yen Sid closed his open eye and sighed. "My apprentice, even in my youth I found the idea of fashion tedious and impractical. Do you really think that now, as an old man, I would be familiar with the trends of teenagers. Much less young women?" While his tone called for an end of discussion, Kairi could help but giggle.

He glanced back at her, brow raised in question. "Is something funny?"

"You know," she said, "at first glance you seem all stern and dower and intimidating - and you totally are," she assured, "but underneath all that, you're a big ole softie!" She laughed as he narrowed his eyes in apparent annoyance. But she could tell there was no real animosity in the look.

"This 'big ole softie' would advise you to keep that opinion to yourself," he said neutrally.

"Advise?" she asked teasingly.

"Shall I make it an order?" he asked dryly.

Kairi waved it off. "No sir. My lips are sealed." And with a final giggle, they spent the rest of their journey in comfortable silence.

 ***The idea for Kairi's jacket came from the problem of hiding herself from any who would do her harm. Plus, I just like the Black Coats - they're awesome. For visual reference, I kind of based it on Peter Petrelli's white coat from the first season of _Heroes_.**

 ***My head-canon is that Yen Sid, despite his gruff exterior, is actually a really nice guy. Like the grandfather you always wanted. Heck, in the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of Fantasia (his first appearance) he seemed more amused an actually angry at Micky's mischief with the brooms. And this seemed like a funny explanation for his apparent knowledge of teen fashion. (It also came from me suddenly realizing that Olette's outfit inspired Kairi's for this fic.)**

 ***Yes, the rumor of the "guys in black coats" is a tie-in to _358/2 Days_. I'm trying to be as canon-compliant as possible here, even if it's an AU. Pence's knowledge of gossip came from his digital version knowing about the "seven wonders of Twilight town". Even if it wasn't the real him, it got me thinking that Pence is kind of a folklore nerd. And his observation may come into play later ... Or will it?**

 ***The concept of apprentices being taken to see other worlds is an idea of my own. Eraqus may not have done it, but I get the feeling Yen Sid has a more lax approach to which traditions he follows. After all, who else would take on a royal mouse as a student?**

 **What's you guys think? Leave a comment if you liked what you saw. I love hearing from you guys!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Business returned to normal the next morning with a breakfast of honeyed oatmeal and physical training in the morning. Yen Sid wrapped a black bracelet decorated with a large bead of blue glass around her wrist and ordered her to run the faint track cut through the wooded hills of the isle. She would run until tired, walk until refreshed, and run again. When the bead turned from blue to red, she could return to the tower.

As the sorcerer observed his student's progress through an enchanted scrying mirror, his thoughts turned to what he had learned in Twilight Town the day before. While he had fully intended it as something of a day off for Kairi, such a thing did not exist for a Keyblade Master, retired or no.

Yen Sid had passed the time Kairi had spent with her new friends checking up on informants he knew within the city. The world of Twilight Town, like Traverse Town and the former Land of Departure before it was Locked and metamorphosed into Castle Oblivion, was one of the few worlds to exist in the Realm Between. This thin Realm acted as the border between the Realms of Light and Darkness. The few worlds that existed here had unique natures or purposes.

Twilight Town itself was unique even among these in that it existed in the perfect middle between these Realms, rather than leaning toward one or the other. It was because of its unique state of balance that Twilight Town acted as the realm for the creation of Nobodies, those rejected by both Light and Darkness.

His sources, those who were aware to one degree or another of the other worlds, had informed him of a collection of individuals bearing the traditional Black Coats and kept the Heartless' numbers in check. Combined with his divination of the stars, Yen Sid had determined that these individuals were Nobodies, acting on unclear goals.

Goals that he was determined to discern.

As he continued to ponder, his thoughts turned to the sensation he had felt as he finished with his information gathering. A great sigh had seemed to echo through the world, as if a great burden had been shed. He had recognized it as a reaction of a Keyhole being sealed. And there was, of course, only one person who would have the knowledge and ability to do so.

Though she had not told him of her action, he was silently proud of her.

As Yen Sid continued to plan, Kairi pushed herself up one of the hills of the isle. Of all the methods of physical training, she liked running best by far. It was strenuous, yes, but simple. And after a while, she could always lose herself in the mindless hammering of her feet on the grass and dirt as her thoughts wandered.

Today, she thought about what Pence had said about someone in a Black Coat using a Keyblade. While it was possible that Riku or Sora were the ones responsible, something in her heart told her this wasn't the case. These people were a new faction. Why they wanted the Heartless gone was a mystery. But the fact that they kept themselves out of public view didn't sit right with her. Secrecy implied less-than-good reasons.

Kairi was forced to slow her pace by the steadily growing stitch in her side, her breaths coming in ragged pants. She glanced at the bead in her Master's bracelet, which had turned from blue into a kind of red-indigo. Which meant she was nearly done. It would probably turn full-red as she approached the tower.

With that in mind, she set off at a steady jog for said tower, mind still whirring. She wondered briefly if this was how Master Aqua and her friends had been trained. Yen Sid had spoken sparingly on her Predecessor and her friends, Terra and Ventus, over past weeks, claiming he had only met them each briefly.

As she neared the tower, she glanced up at the void above, filled with shining stars. She slowed to a stop and placed a hand over her heart as it yearned for her friends. Then she grit her teeth and kept moving. If she wanted to help them, she had to keep at it. Keep training and learning. Only then could she stand on her own feet and make her friends proud. Not to mention herself.

* * *

The evening found Kairi in the tower's chamber where she practiced her magic, training in the use of a new spell. Yen Sid, having now granted her the power of reflection, was levitating clay disks and firing them at her at moderate speed. Her job was to use Reflect, or Barrier, to protect herself from the projectiles.

As Yen Sid had internally predicted, Kairi had taken to this spell like a dove to the air. By nature of their mere existence, the Princesses of Heart acted as a barrier against the Darkness, a power that was magnified by proximity to each other and conscious effort. It seemed that this facet of her nature had allowed her to understand a defensive spell with ease.

Switching it up, Yen Sid conjured a large ball of fire in his hand, which broke apart into smaller missiles and came at her in all directions. Without so much as a flinch, Kairi erected her Barrier to block the onslaught. The dome reacted with a burst of light, fueled by the energy of his attack and her own powerful Light, destroying a series of dummies he had conjured to measure such things.

Kairi waited a few moments before letting her Barrier down, conscious of a surprise attack. When none came, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her magic was down to the dregs and she would need some time to recover it. She retrieved her book on magic from a nearby table and sat to read, only to stop when a thought crossed her mind.

Pence's words before she left rang in her head like the toll of a belltower. After a second of deliberation, she snapped her book shut and approached Yen Sid. "Master?" she asked. He glanced up at her from his own book, expression as impassive as ever. "How many people can use a Keyblade?"

Yen Sid's brow arched at the unexpected question. "Aside from you and myself, there is Mickey, Aqua, the comatose Ventus, Sora, and Riku." His gaze grew stern. "Why do you ask?"

Without preamble, Kairi explained what had happened in Twilight Town, from encountering the Heartless, to sealing the Keyhole, to everything Pence had told her. She put careful emphasis on his prior knowledge of the Keyblade's appearance. All through her explanation, Yen Sid's expression never wavered.

"Is it possible that there is another Keybearer running around?" she asked.

In answer, Yen Sid stood and beckoned her to follow. They eventually settled in his office, the light fading from the great window. "I had hoped," he began, "that you would be further along in your training before we arrived at this lesson. But it seems Fate has no concern for any plans but its own."

With a wave of his hand, an illusion formed of a Shadow Heartless. "You are aware, I presume, of how Heartless come to be." Kairi nodded and the illusion faded away. "What you, and most others, do not realize is that, on occasion, they are not the only thing born of this process."

With that, Yen Sid explained about the concept of "Nobodies". Empty vessels born from the bodies and wills of those taken by the Heartless. He elaborated on their preserved intellect that divided them from the instinctual Heartless, conjuring images of Dusks and Creepers to illustrate his points.

Finally, he moved on to the most powerful Nobodies, those who commanded the lesser, illustrated with an image of a group of people in concealing Black Coats. "These individuals have banded together to form the mysterious Organization XIII. Their goals are unknown and their methods subtle, but I highly doubt that their destruction of the Heartless is fueled by mere altruism."

Kairi looked down at her hands, lips pursed in thought. As her thoughts wandered over the past, she looked up with a question in her eyes. "Master, what about me?" Yen Sid merely narrowed his eyes, forcing her to elaborate. "My heart was gone, but my body was just asleep. Why didn't it become a Nobody?" Did it mean her heart was weak?

"Nobodies can only be born by the creation of a corresponding Heartless," he answered. "If one's heart is lost in other ways, it merely results in the body falling into deep slumber, as it did with you and young Ventus."

Kairi nodded with a relieved sigh. Only a Heartless could - wait … Kairi gasped as another thought crossed her mind, rapidly unfolding into a theory. "Master, what if a Keybearer became a Heartless? Could their Nobody wield their Keyblade?"

Yen Sid closed his eyes, the creases in his aged face seeming to deepen. For a moment, he looked … ancient. Like he had seen things, experienced things, that she couldn't possibly conceive. And like a candle blown out, breathed and was back to himself. "If what I have gathered is correct, then it very well is possible," he answered. With that, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"I suggest you retire for the night," he said. And though he said nothing of it, Kairi had a feeling the "suggestion" was more for his own sake than hers. Without a word, she nodded and stood, leaving the room.

As Kairi approached her room, her jumbled thoughts brought her to gently touch the pearl pendant around her neck, the single piece of her childhood that remained. She smiled as she remembered the day she had met Master Aqua, when she had placed a spell on-

Kairi stopped in her tracks, eyes wide. _Placed a spell_. Aqua had said that the spell would guide her to the Light of another when she was in danger. She had already realized that that Light had been Sora's, who else's Light could shine like his? But with her new experience in magic, the fact that Aqua had enchanted her pendant brought a whole new revelation.

Kairi spun on her heel and raced to Yen Sid's library. She approached a podium holding a large book bound in golden leather, opening it to reveal instructions of its use. _Speak your need,_ was all it said. According to Yen Sid at the beginning of her magical training, the book acted as a librarian to Yen Sid's collection, allowing the quick location of texts and terms as needed. Kairi swung her gaze over the crooked shelves packed with books bound in exotic materials, from leathers, to scaly hides, to exotic woods. "How do I use magic to locate someone?" she asked the book.

Within a minute, another book floated toward her, open to a specific definition. " _Dowsing - A form of divination involved in the location of hidden resources without the use of an apparatus. Included resources: ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, etc._ "

Kairi hummed in thought. It was close, but not what she needed. After a moment, she addressed the large book again. "What forces can be traced to locate a person?" Another book floated to her, opening to show its information.

" _Dowsing of living individuals requires a link to said individual, whether physically or spiritually. Physical links include samples of hair, blood, or nail clippings. Spiritual links include items of personal significance to the subject, such as charms of fortune, personal diaries, or favored tools._ "

"Can something enchanted by the subject be traced?" Kairi asked, excitement growing. The book flipped its own pages before settling on a piece of text.

" _Enchanted items bear a specific magical marking, often referred to as the 'magical fingerprint', that is unique to each practitioner. Said marking can last for years, so long as the enchantment remains. The marking can traced to identify said practitioner or be dowsed by a learned mage."_

Kairi smiled as she removed her pendant, nestling the charm in the palm of her hand. She had something enchanted by the subject, now she just needed the spell. "Bring me a spell to connect mentally to a practitioner," she ordered.

It took a few minutes for a book, bound in what appeared to be layers of ash wood pressed together, to approach and flip to a specific page. Kairi marked the page with her necklace and thanked the book before quickly returning to her room.

Upon locking her door, Kairi sat on the ground, legs in a lotus position, and opened the book to read. As she read the book's explanation, her excitement slowly began to wane. The book's terms were simple enough, but the way it described using magic was utterly foreign to her. Reading on, she realized just how much she had to learn before mastering magic.

But she refused to give up!

Committing the book's instructions to memory, she closed it and placed it to the side before taking her pendant in both hands. She breathed deeply, trying to attain the "stillness" that Yen Sid had had her learn during their meditation parts of her learning magic.

When she had first begun, she had had trouble with keeping herself open. Yen Sid had assured her that it was a common problem for novices, and had encouraged her to imagine herself in a place that made her feel relaxed. She had tried imagining the hot springs in the mountains, in front of a cheery fireplace, and wrapped in her blankets in her bed, all to no avail. Then she had tried something different, and it had worked.

Using the trick she had figured out, she imagined herself in the Secret Place on the Islands. She imagined the wind softly whistling through the cracks in the cave walls, smelt the saltiness of the air, felt the sand beneath her. And she slowly began to relax, to lose herself in within the tide of magic inside of her.

After a time, she felt herself reach a precarious balance. She opened up her second sight, the sense of magic that Yen Sid had described to her. In her mind's eye, she saw a faint bluish glow around her pendant. That had to be the enchantment that Aqua had lain upon it all those years ago.

With the magic in sight, she intoned the spell that the book had taught her, focusing on the magic and a mental image of Aqua. Without warning, the magic within her surged _inward_ , pulling her deep within herself.

Everything went dark …

Kairi opened her eyes to find herself on a red-tinted, stained-glass Station, surrounded by a familiar inky void. Just like her dream. Yen Sid had called her dream a "Dive to the Heart", explaining that all Keybearers experienced a Dive when their power to wield the Keyblade was Awakened. He had stressed that it was a private experience, for each to keep to themselves.

Kairi looked down at the familiar image of herself sleeping against st the rim of the Station, Destiny's Embrace in her hand and surrounded by images of her friends. She smiled at the addition of Yen Sid without his hat, a faint smile in place of his usual faint scowl.

Kairi looked down at her clenched fist as blue light shone from between her fingers. She opened them, releasing an orb of sapphire light that raced for the edge of the Station. The orb continued on, illuminating a pathway of violet glass that stretched into the distance.

Kairi smiled and she ran forward to follow the light.

* * *

With a coarse groan, Aqua settled herself onto the sands of the Dark Median. The inky waters lapped at her feet as she removed her armored boots, soothing the aches that had arisen. She sighed as she allowed herself to relax, to slip into a meditative trance.

In all the time Aqua had spent in this desolate Realm, she had never felt the urge to sleep. Oh yes, she grew tired, weary from battle and her endless trek through the broken landscape. But true sleep, as well as thirst and hunger, seemed beyond her here. Small comfort, really. It was convenient that she needn't search for food or water, but what she wouldn't give for the simple pleasure of a pleasantly full belly or ice-cold water running down her throat.

As it was, meditation was the only way to replenish her strength. With practiced ease, she breathed in a steady rhythm, never wavering. The routine, if nothing else, helped her to relax. She smiled faintly to herself as she felt the folds of a trance envelope her, even as her senses remained open for any approaching Heartless.

The creatures may avoid this place, but it never hurt to be sure.

It was in the midst of her trance when Aqua felt something stir. A familiar warmth rose in her heart, a warmth that had grown strangely common in recent times. She felt it drawing her deeper … deeper into the soft light.

Aqua opened her eyes to find herself on a blue-tinted Station of the Heart. Strange, she hadn't been here since her Awakening nearly a decade prior. Or, at least, a decade before her time in the Dark Realm. She looked down at the image of herself, resting against the edge of the platform with Rainfell in her grasp, utterly and serenely calm. She sighed at the images of Terra and Ven and Master Eraqus. On her other side were images of three familiar children, the boys from the Islands filled with Light, and a little girl surrounded by flowers.

A flash caught Aqua's attention, heralding an orb of blue magic that slowly floated toward her from the void. It settled before her at eye level before fading away. 'How odd,' Aqua thought. 'Why am I even here?' As if in answer, a faint golden halo surrounded the Station before fading to reveal a pathway of violet platforms.

And from those platforms came … a familiar girl.

The girl stepped onto the platform, eyes wide. The girl … smiled and drew nearer, an almost reverent look in her eyes. "Master," she said. "M-Master Aqua." Aqua took a step back, the use of her title surprising her.

The girl stopped, her smile fallen. "Master?" she asked. "Are you … are you okay?"

Aqua narrowed her eyes, a feeling of deja vu almost palpable. "Who are you? We … we've met before." And not just that vision from before. They had met before then. Some time in the Realm of Light.

"You saved me once," the girl said. "My name is Kairi."

That name! The memories hit her like the strike of a Darkside. How could-? Mickey had said ten years had passed in the Realm of Light, but she hadn't believed it. Not really. But now, the evidence was standing before her. That little girl, so full of Light, who had given her flowers. This was-?

"Kairi," Aqua breathed, unable to say anything else.

Kairi smiled warmly. "I never got the chance to thank you," she said, her hand held out to the side. In a flash of light, a Keyblade materialized for her. One that was as familiar as the girl herself. The Keyblade vanished and Kairi bowed to her at the waist. "Thank you. Master."

It took Aqua a moment to collect her thoughts. "Kairi … How are you here?" she asked. "And how do you have a Keyblade?"

Kairi took a step back, smile gone and eyes wide with ... hurt? "You chose me," she said, her voice sounding almost fragile. "You … didn't you?"

Aqua thought back to that day, a day that seemed so long ago. She remembered Kairi running to her to escape the Unversed. Wait … The memory emerged as clear as anything. Kairi, little Kairi, placing her hand on Rainfell, seeking comfort. That …! It must have initiated an Inheritance Ceremony!

Aqua couldn't help the grin that tugged at her lips, the chuckle that escaped. "I suppose I did," she agreed. "So how are you here?"

Kairi rubbed the back of her neck, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I remembered you put a spell on my pendant and that got me thinking. I wondered if you could link to someone by tracing their magic. So I looked in Master Yen Sid's library and found the spell I needed, and …" She spread her hands, as if to say 'Here we are'.

"Master Yen Sid?" Aqua asked.

"Yes! He's training me!" Kairi answered ecstatically. "I mean, I really wish it were you, but Master Yen Sid's doing great!" And like a switch, she became serious. "Master, where are you? Yen Sid says your star isn't anywhere he can sense, but you're not gone, so … where?"

Aqua sighed, squeezing the bridge of her nose. "Ever since I failed to defeat Xehanort, I've been trapped in the Realm of Darkness. I knew I've been here for some time, but it's hard to believe it's been ten years." A thought crossed her mind and she locked gazes with Kairi.

"Kairi, do you recognize the names 'Sora' or 'Riku'?"

Kairi positively lit up at her question. "Yes! They're my best friends! When my home fell to the Darkness, your spell brought me to a new world. Their world, Destiny Islands. Riku lost his way for a while, but he and Sora beat Ansem and restored the worlds!"

Aqua smiled at the memory of the worlds being restored. "So where are they now?" she asked. As soon as the words passed her lips, she regretted them. Kairi's disposition wilted, a great sorrow unbefitting of the kind girl settling over her.

"I don't know," she answered, head low. But then she straightened up, her eyes burning. "But that's why I'm learning from Master Yen Sid! Next time, I won't be a burden! I'll fight for the Light, just like you!"

Aqua had nothing to say to that. Just like her? She had _failed_. Ven was comatose, his heart shattered. Terra was … Aqua's eyes burned at the thought of Terra's fate. But looking into Kairi's eyes, she saw nothing but joy and respect for her. It was clear the girl saw her as some kind of heroic figure. And as wrong as she felt that belief was, she couldn't help that it warmed her heart.

"Kairi, what you've done here is far more than dowsing," she said. "A connection between hearts can only be made by strengthening an already existing bond. Bonds such as those between friends, family," she gestured between Kairi and herself, "or teacher and student."

Aqua started as her hand began to glow with golden light, her fingertips dissolving into glittering motes. "Our time is up, it seems," she said with a smile. "Kairi, will you promise me something?" She nodded vigorously. "Promise me that you will remain true to your heart. It may be weak, and sometimes it may give in," to Darkness, doubt, despair, "but there is always a glimmer of light within. Never forget that."

As she faded away, she gave one last piece of advice. "May your heart be your guiding key," she whispered. And somehow, she knew Kairi had heard her.

Aqua gasped and sat up, feeling more alive than she had in … who knew how long. She blinked at the feeling of moisture on her cheek, brushing away a tear with a watery laugh. Kairi was her Successor.

Aqua turned on her heel, gaze hard and steps sure. It didn't matter how long it took. She would find a way out of here. She would rescue Terra and Ven. And now, she resolved, she would take her place as the Master that Kairi clearly deserved.

Somehow, someway, she would make it happen.

* * *

As the dawn colored the clouds below the Tower's Isle, Kairi slowly emerged from the blanket of sleep. She sat up, suddenly very awake, and darted to her desk. She grabbed a pen and opened a blank page of the journal that Yen Sid had given her to record her lessons, and to one day aide her in teaching others.

She wrote down every detail of her meeting with Master Aqua, determined to get it all out before the memories began to fade. After a good hour of writing, she lifted her pen from the parchment with a satisfied smile. She had even committed a page to a portrait of Master Aqua, capturing the woman's grace and poise, and her lovely smile.

Placing her pen back in its holder, she rose and began to get ready for the day. Whatever Yen Sid had in store for her today, and any day after, she was more than ready. After all, she had made a promise. And part of staying true to herself, now, was becoming the best Keybearer she could be.

With a final tug at her shirt, she deemed herself presentable and headed for breakfast.

Time to go to work.

 **Hope y'all like this chapter. I had not intended to take it in this direction, but inspiration flows like a river; not always the way you expect.**

 ***Dowsing is a real thing in folklore. In this AU, it's a term for magical tracking.**

 ***The book-cum-librarian was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I wanted to give Yen Sid's library something different. And given certain examples (*cough* walking broomsticks *cough*) the idea of inanimate objects given animation and purpose seemed plausible for his magic.**

 ***Kairi's "connecting" with Aqua is similar to (and inspired by) Ventus connecting to Sora at the end of _Birth by Sleep_. The link was started with the residual magic on Kairi's pendant and strengthened by their bond as Bearer and Successor. **

***I know art is Namine's thing, but I've always thought Kairi was no slouch in it either. After all, her picture of Sora in the Secret Place is pretty good for a four/five-year-old.**

 **If y'all like what you've seen, leave a review! Heck, if their's things you don't understand or agree with, I'll gladly clarify in the Author's notes of the following chapter. I love hearing feedback from you guys - it helps fuel my creative spirit!**

 **Thanks for reading - and there's more to follow!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

As the days continued to pass, Yen Sid noticed a stark change in his apprentice. Whereas before she had tackled each lesson and exercise with firm determination, she now dove into them headfirst. Some instinct told him that she had experienced something unusual, something unplanned, and he thought it best to let her keep it to herself. Whatever it was, it had done nothing wrong.

Kairi's physical training continued on a steady incline as she continued to sort out her own style from Sora's. She had even taught herself to handle combat spells freehanded in conjunction with her Keyblade, granting her an edge of surprise. The wooden golems he conjured and animated with magic slowly became too little for her, and he moved on to automatons of stone. And in greater numbers.

And, of course, freehanded magic was the least of her accomplishments in the aracne. Yen Sid had elevated her to the higher tiers of the spells she already knew, as well as teaching her new ones. Her inner reserves of magic grew to match her skill and regenerated just as quickly. He had ruefully noticed that his storee of ethers was quickly running low, the items now necessary for her to keep up her pace of learning.

Finally, after two weeks of this new zeal of hers, Yen Sid decided it was time to raise her to the next phase of training. A minority of Keyblade Masters in times past had, upon their apprentices reaching a certain level of skill, adopted the practice of sending them on guided missions among the worlds. In essence, this tempered their training with practical experience. A taste of the duties they would assume with the title of Keybearer.

And Yen Sid knew exactly what trials would be perfect for Kairi.

* * *

As the light grew in the void surrounding the tower, Kairi stood at attention before Yen Sid. At breakfast, he had announced that traditional training would be replaced by a more unique situation. She doubted it was another day off, especially so soon after the previous. So what could this new exercise be?

"Before we begin, Kairi, you should know that I am more than pleased with your progress as my apprentice. Your skills grow more each day, and your dedication would shame even the most steadfast of past students." He paused, blinking slowly. "It is for that reason that I have decided to initiate your Temperance." As he explained to her the reason behind the practice, Kairi stared at him with wide eyes.

He thought she was ready for a real mission? Where? What did he expect her to do? She briefly wondered if she was ready before stomping down on that thought. Riku had once told her that doubt was a poison, one that would spread and consume you if you let it. She hadn't really understood then, but she did now.

Whatever Yen Sid had in mind for her, she was ready. No doubt about it.

"What would you have me do?" she asked, careful to keep her tone neutral. Best not to seem overeager.

"I will be sending you to a world returned from the Dark Realm by the closing of the Door to Darkness," he revealed. "But thought the outpouring of Darkness was halted, the threat to the worlds still remains." He briefly grinned. "As I believe you saw in Twilight Town." Kairi had the decency to blush at being discovered. Then she scolded herself for thinking she could hide such a thing from a sorcerer. Much less a Keyblade master, retired or no.

"Your mission is much like your feat in Twilight Town," he continued. "You are to locate the world's Keyhole and seal it." His eyes narrowed and he steepled his fingers. "I cannot stress enough how imperative this task is, Kairi. The Heartless are fewer, but they remain a serious threat." He sighed and returned his hands to his armrests. "But, as it was in times long gone, it is ultimately your decision as to undertake the Temperance. Do you believe you are ready?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation, eyes harder than glinting sapphires.

"Very well," he intoned, and quickly conjured one of his Doors. The wooden barrier was carved with the relief of a woman holding what appeared to be an apple, a single bite from the fruit. Birds flitted above her, while her dress faded into a series of short male forms strode across the bottom.

Kairi's inspection of the Door was interrupted by the approach of her Master. "It is traditional for a Master to accompany their apprentice on their first Trial of Temperance," he explained. "I will be with you should you truly need it; otherwise I will stay out of the way, wrapped in a spell of invisibility. This is your mission, your first taste of the duties of a Keyblade Master." He snapped his fingers and the Door cracked open, light shining from the thin opening.

Before she could move, he held out her white coat. Right, it was supposed to mask her light, make it easier to travel without being noticed. With a faint smile, she slipped it on and zipped it up, the heavy material almost comforting, now.

"Let us begin," Yen Sid proclaimed.

* * *

Kairi blinked to adjust her vision to this new world, the natural sunlight throwing her off. As everything cleared up, she gasped at the sight before her. The Door had led them to a dark forest, the trees blackened and twisted. On instinct, she summoned her Keyblade, extending her senses for any threats.

Not a moment after the Keyblade appeared, Heartless emerged from the shadows cast by the crooked trees. The analytical part of Kairi's mind rapidly assigned names from her Heartless Bestiary. A pair of Large Bodies, a cluster of Blue Rhapsodies and Red Nocturnes, and a Crescendo.

Kairi grimaced at her mistake. The Heartless were drawn the the Keyblade; summoning hers right off the bat had only erected a beacon to her location. She might as well have hung a flashing sign saying, "Here I am, come and take my heart!"

Kairi shook it off and conjured a blitz of Fira spells aimed at the Crescendo. The book had said they could heal other Heartless - best to nip that right in the bud. The Heartless honked, actually honked, in pain before a quick Thundra finished it off. One down, more to go.

Kairi yelped and cartwheeled away from a Large Body's lunge. She fired another spell, Blizzara this time, to knock it off balance and give her a second to think. The Large Bodies were strong and hardy, but slow. The little mages were quick and liked to fight from a distance. Her magical reserves weren't high enough to finish this fight with only magic. So she had to get creative.

A Red Nocturne charged up and fired at her. Kairi cast a Barrier to block … and its spell was sent right back at it! Kairi grinned and cast Blizzara, striking most of the Heartless with its widespread range. The Blue Rhapsodies may be healed from it, but the Red Nocturnes definitely weren't. In fact, it stunned them. Left them vulnerable.

Kairi darted for the hapless Heartless, dodging shards of ice and giant fists to slash at the Red Nocturnes. She had destroyed a few when the last shook itself awake, charging a spell as soon as it could.

"Oh no you don't!" Kairi said with an upward slash. She grinned as the final Red Nocturne gave up its heart and turned to face the rest. She cast Barrier again to block shards of ice, silently disappointed that they didn't rebound at their casters. A few quick Firas finished off the icy Heartless, leaving only the Large Bodies.

Kairi stumbled as one jumped, its bulk shifting the ground beneath her. The other leapt for her, but was stopped by a Barrier. She quickly detonated the spell, orbs of magic blasting the Heartless back. With a quick cartwheel, she appeared behind it and lashed out with her Keyblade.

Before she could finish it, the creature quickly turned to face her. It stomped from side to side like a child throwing a tantrum as a red aura emanated from its shoulders. 'Aw, poor baby,' Kairi thought. It shook its belly and lunged for her, forcing her to dodge. A trio of Thundras finished it off.

With a graceful twirl, Kairi spun to face the last Heartless. It crouched and leapt at her, leaving it open for her weapon. Another tantrum, another cartwheel, and another barrage of spells left it dissolving into Darkness, its heart free.

Kairi sighed, her heart pounding from the quick battle. She glanced at Yen Sid, who remained as impassive as ever. With a flick of her wrist, she banished her Keyblade and struck out along the faint trail through the trees. A quick backward glance showed him silently following her. A faint smile arose on her lips; Yen Sid hadn't needed to intervene. Seemed she was growing stronger.

As the pair emerged from the dark woods, Kairi stopped at the sight before her. A meadow filled with wildflowers stretched beyond and faded into the distant shape of a castle. A girl her age knelt picking flowers, just as she once had loved to, with a young man sitting on a rock nearby.

But something about the girl was different from others. Then she remembered her Dive, the one she experienced on the Islands. This was the first girl she had encountered. Ebony hair, ruby lips, fair skin. A blue and yellow dress, now accented by a red cape. And something more … something warm and familiar.

"Another Princess of Heart," Yen Sid noted, confirming her suspicions.

Another Princess, one with no Darkness in her heart. One whose heart had been used to forge that dark Keyblade Sora had spoken of. Who had stayed to hold back the Darkness that threatened to swallow her first home.

Kairi smiled and began to move to greet them, but Yen Sid held her back with a hand on her shoulder. With a gesture, everything in the meadow froze in place, from the royals to the petals dancing in the air. Yen Sid had mentioned time magic during training, but this was on a level she never would have expected. But why would he-?

Yen Sid turned her toward him, looking down at her with a gaze like steel. "Before you approach them, Kairi, I have an order for you," he said. Order? What kind of order? Wasn't this supposed to be a test?

Yen Sid sighed before continuing. "During your Trials, until I explicitly say otherwise, you are not to mention Sora to anyone you meet." His gaze grew colder, if possible. "Am I understood?"

Not mention Sora? "Wha-? But Master, I-" Thunder echoed through the meadow, interrupting her reply.

"Am I understood?!" he repeated. His voice grew not louder - it didn't need to. The intensity of his words hit her like a punch to the gut. This was an order, not a suggestion.

Kairi looked down, unwilling to meet that icy gaze. "Yes, Master," she whispered. But that didn't mean she wouldn't ask about that later, after this Trial.

Without a visible means, time resumed in the meadow. Kairi turned from her Master, mulling over his order as she approached her fellow Princess. As she drew nearer, the Light that seemed to roll off of her calmed her down and brought her smile back. Even if it was smaller than before.

When they came within a few yards, the young man, presumably a prince based on his fine clothing, and princess took notice. The girl stood and brushed herself off, handing a bouquet of wildflowers to her companion with a smile.

"Hello there," she greeted, her voice just as Kairi remembered. As she drew nearer, the girl's eyes widened in surprise. "Do I know you?" she asked. "I get the strangest feeling we've met before."

Kairi chuckled. "We have, kind of," she answered. "My name's Kairi."

The girl gasped, hands covering her mouth. "Oh, how could I forget! You were at-" she hesitated, glancing at the man behind her. Oh right, the worlds had to remain secret. "At that castle far away," she finished.

"Yep, that's me," Kairi said. Almost before she finished, Kairi grunted as the other girl wrapped her in a hug.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you! I'm Snow White!" She drew away, practically glowing with joy. "I haven't seen any of our sisters since … everything returned to normal."

"Sisters?" Kairi asked.

"Of course," Snow White smiled. "Our Sisters in the Light. You, me, Aurora and Cinderella, Alice, Belle, and Jasmine."

Sisters … Kairi couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Snow?" the prince asked. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Oh! Of course," she replied. "Kairi, this is Prince Florian, my betrothed. Flori, this is Kairi. She was one of the ladies who was swept away to that castle far away." Kairi raised an eyebrow at the half-truth before nodding to Florian.

"A pleasure, Ms. Kairi," Florian said. "Snow's told me a lot about that place. After …" He paused and shuddered before continuing. "After that witch came and brought those monsters with her, the sky blackened and everything began to crumble. I thought …" He looked to Snow and took her hand in his. "I thought we'd lost each other again." Snow smiled and drew him into a hug, long enough to make Kairi feel a little awkward. Like she were intruding on a moment.

After a few more moments, the pair separated. Snow jumped and turned to Kairi, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she said. "How rude of us to ignore you." Kairi shrugged with a grin.

"No harm done," she assured.

"So, Ms. Kairi," Florian said, "is there a particular reason you've come to our fair kingdom. Or is it just the sights?"

"Actually, I'm glad you asked," Kairi replied. "I'm looking for something. Snow, do you recognize the term 'Keyhole'?" Snow's eyes widened in understanding.

"Of course! Sor-" Snow flinched, eyes screwing shut and bringing a hand to her forehead. She blinked owlishly before gently shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I lost my linen of thought. I- I think it was Jasmine who mentioned them. Something about a wicked vizier trying to find it." She wrapped her arms around herself, as if warding off cold. Or frightening memories. "And he used the Heartless to do it." She looked up, meeting Kairi's eyes. "It's the pathway to the heart of a world, isn't it?" she asked.

Kairi nodded. "That's as much as I understand it," Kairi agreed. "The Heartless look for them to try so they can devour the world's heart, like they do people's hearts." She swallowed thickly, memories of the Fall of Destiny Islands coming to mind, and deeper ones from her first home. "I have to close it, or this world will still be in danger."

Snow gasped. "But the Heartless are gone! When-" she flinched again, shaking it off faster this time, "when the worlds were restored and the Great Keyhole sealed, they went away." She drew in again, as if trying to convince herself.

"No, they're not completely gone," Kairi said. "I actually fought some in the woods. But if I can seal the Keyhole, they should leave. They won't be able to take this world's heart, so they should lose interest." 'Plus, your Light will probably drive off the more persistent ones,' she silently added.

Snow mulled this over, glancing at Florian. The prince smiled at her in support. "While I will admit I don't understand all of what's been said, I take it this 'Keyhole' is quite old. Would the dwarves know anything about it?" he asked.

Snow smiled and nodded. "Of course! The little men live for quite a long time. At least, that's what Doc said. If anyone knows about the Keyhole, it will be them!" She looked to Kairi with a radiant smile. "They'll probably be leaving for their mines soon. If we hurry we can catch them!" With that, she took Florian's arm and rushed toward the dark woods. Kairi stood in pace for a moment, wondering how a slip of a girl like snow could drag around a larger man with no effort, before shrugging and sprinting to follow.

The trip through the dark woods, the second one for Kairi, was tense. As soon as the shadows had lengthened, the sun cut off by the trees, Snow had slowed down and clutched Florian's arm. Kairi had a feeling she had bad memories of this place.

"Snow?" Florian asked, clearly trying to get her mind off their surroundings. "Isn't this where you met that boy you told me about? The one with the strange sword?" That caught Kairi's attention.

"Strange sword?" she asked, speeding up to keep pace with the two.

"Oh yes," Snow replied. "After creatures like the Heartless attacked, I ran to escape them. I-" she swallowed thickly, "the trees seemed to come alive, and … I was so frightened." Her lips twitched in a rueful smile. "I'm ashamed, now, of how I behaved. It's so strange how being scared can make everything seem so much worse. But then Ven arrived and escorted me to the dwarves' cottage! Such a nice young man."

Kairi stumbled at the mention of "Ven". "Ven" as in "Ventus?" Could it really be Master Aqua's friend? "Snow, what did his 'strange sword' look like?" she asked.

Snow hummed in thought. "It was odd, like the man from before Ven. Both of their swords were shaped more like keys than swords. But Ven was certain that the other man was his friend. What was his name?" She hummed again, lips pursed in thought. "Terra, I think?"

Kairi looked away, expression carefully neutral. Ven and Terra. That couldn't be a coincidence. Both of Aqua's friends had been here, which meant Aqua had probably been here, too. She wondered how many of her newly-claimed "sisters" had met those three.

Kairi continued to think on that until Snow suddenly stopped in her tracks. Kairi looked back in surprise before glancing at their destination. A small cottage sat in a clearing, a small bridge crossing a creek before it. Around the cottage lounged a group of short men. The dwarves, it seemed.

"Everything alright, Snow?" Florian asked, clearly concerned by her reaction.

"Something's not right," Snow said. "I was sure they would have at least been on their way to the mines, by now." Snow gripped her dress and rushed forward, Florian and Kairi only a step behind.

The dwarves, who seemed to be somewhat depressed, brightened as they noticed Snow approach. They called greetings and danced around, one in a green tunic and purple hat actually jumping into her arms. Snow laughed and hugged him back before scooping them all up in a group hug.

"Snow, to what do we owe the feather-uh-pleasure?" one with glasses asked.

"And who's the redhead?" one asked. "Up to no good with hair like that," he huffed.

"This is Kairi," Snow explained, "one of the ladies I told you about?" That got all of them whispering amongst each other, their tones almost reverent.

"Well thank ye kindly for helpin' our dear Snow White," one said with a bright smile. "Name's Happy. This is Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, Sleepy, and Dopey." Each dwarf nodded as their names were called. "What brings you to our small world?" Happy asked.

"Do any of you recognize the term 'Keyhole'?" she asked. The dwarves all started inter-whispering again.

"Might be related to that big ol' glowin' hole we found in the mine," Sleepy said through a wide yawn.

"Yeah, 'lot a good that does us," Grumpy groused, "what with all them monsters drivin' us out an' all."

"Monsters?" Florian asked.

"Like before the ball, uh, Fall," Doc explained. "Black demons with yellow eyes. They arrived yesterday and drove us from the spine, uh, mine."

Black demons with yellow eyes. That could only be one thing. "Heartless," Kairi said, Snow echoing the words. The girls looked at each other in surprise before smiling. But Kairi's smile faded as she focused on the task at hand. After all, she had a Trial to finish.

"Could any of you tell me how to get to the mine?" she asked. "The keyhole needs to be sealed."

"What about the monsters?" Sneezy asked.

Kairi simply grinned and summoned Destiny's Embrace, drawing awed looks from the dwarves and royals alike. "Leave them to me. By the end of the day, you'll have your mine back."

* * *

As soon as Doc had given stilted directions to the mine, often simplified by Grumpy or Happy, Kairi had been ready to head off. But Snow had had other ideas.

"I'm coming with you," Snow said, quietly determined. "This is my home. I'm not going to stand by while a Sister fights to defend it." Kairi had, quite frankly, been surprised. For all of the brief time she had known her, Snow had seemed … meek, soft. It was almost stunning to see her take a firm stand.

And the action had made Kairi smile. It seemed there was more to Snow White than just sunny optimism and compassion. She had a streak of steel in her, too.

After a few hours of hiking up the mountain trail, Florian steadfastly behind them to ensure Snow's safety, they emerged into a large open space with a large door set into the opposing wall. Kairi growled to herself at the sight of Shadows and Soldiers prowling around, clearly searching for the Keyhole.

She glanced at a nearby cliff, the silhouette of her Master looking down on her. She grinned to herself and opened up with a salvo of Fira spells, followed by a hail of Thundras. The Shadows were destroyed by her magic, and the Soldiers weakened. That left them easy prey to her Keyblade.

With the last of the Soldiers gone, Kairi glanced back at her companions. Florian seemed impressed by her skills, and Snow's eyes were shining with pride. Pride that was quickly replaced by fear and dread. And not for lack of reason.

Kairi felt it too, that suffocating chill like her heart was being squeezed in her chest, like a faint pressure trying to keep her from breathing. She looked up, the feeling seeming to come from there, only to yelp and leap out of the way of something crashing into the ground. Kairi winced as flecks of stone peppered her and swung herself to her feet. As she regained her footing, her jaw dropped in surprise.

Standing between her and the mine was a massive Heartless, at least ten feet tall. Its limbs were lithely muscular, its hands capped with vicious red-stained claws and its toes curling like old-fashioned shoes. A brown tunic covered its torso, a tattered cape hanging from its shoulders. It wide mouth was filled with jagged teeth and the antlers of a stag grew up from the sides of its head, framing a tricorn hunter's hat.

But worst of all was what looked like a deer-horn handle jutting from its chest, right over the heart, surrounded by the Heartless emblem. With fluid movements, the Heartless grasped the handle and drew a wickedly curved hunting knife from its body, its size more like that of a sword in comparison to Kairi. With a bestial roar, it darted toward her, knife slashing.

Kairi cartwheeled out of the way, letting its assault pass. It glanced at Snow and Florian, who brandished a knife of his own, before growling and turning back to Kairi. Clearly, it judged her to be the bigger threat.

With a yowl, it removed a lumpy red shape from a pouch at its belt and lobbed it at her. Kairi conjured a Barrier, before the red mass exploded. Her shield held, but the force sent her skidding back on the balls of her feet. Her Barrier came down, only for her to see the Heartless gandling another mass. Wait … it looked like a heart! Not a glowing metaphysical heart, but a beating organ of flesh and blood. It hurled the heart-bomb at her, forcing her to dodge this time.

With a shout, Kairi blasted it with Fira, followed up by Blizzara and Thundra. Using the precious seconds it was off-balance, Kairi crossed the distance and slashed at it. With a howl, it struck her away, sending her flying. Kairi crashed against the wall of the surrounding cliffs, stunned by the impact. A quick Cure washed away most of the pain and allowed her to focus. Enough that she dodged the Heartless's next charge, its blade biting into the tawny stone.

With the grace of a hunter, the Heartless turned and struck out at her, its blade a blur of blackened steel. Kairi blocked, spinning under its next strike and blocking the third. On instinct, she summoned the power of wind to blast it away. The whirlwind only stunned it, but it allowed her to get out of its range.

The Heartless growled and revealed another of its heart-bombs. As it curled back to throw, Kairi readied herself. The Heartless threw - and Kairi knocked his bomb back at him. The bomb exploded and sent the Heartless flying back to lay stunned against the ground.

With a breathless laugh, Kairi rushed to take her opportunity. And as she readied her swing, she failed to notice the faint white glow that wreathed her Keyblade. Or the Heartless begin to twitch. As she struck, the Heartless blocked her swing. Its blade was shattered, but it succeeded in knocking her away as its claws bit deep into her chest.

Kairi screamed as white-hot pain lanced across her, the dull impact of her back to stone a minor detail in comparison. Her breathing came in heaving gasps as she instinctively pressed her hands to the wounds to stem the bleeding. Fear, primitive and instinctual, wrapped its icy fingers around her heart. This Heartless was far more than she had ever faced, and unlike Sora on his quest, she had no allies to watch her back.

With a supreme effort, Kairi forced away the pain and cast Cure, washing the immediate suffering away. But her muscles still shook, trembling with memory of the wound. Kairi shakily stood, Keyblade armed to continue the fight. She hadn't gone through all that training to be beaten on her first Trial!

As she set her stance and armed her Keyblade, the Heartless twitched and turned, facing Snow and Florian. It bared its claws and snarled, leaping bodily into the air - straight for them!

"No!" Kairi shouted, rushing to intercept - to do something. Anything! The Heartless came down … and was knocked back by a column of golden Light. Snow, her arms held out to her sides, collapsed as the Heartless fell. And before it could hit the ground, Kairi's Keyblade sliced clean through it, shining with white Light.

The Heartless wailed and faded into formless Darkness, a great red heart rising from its chest to disappear into thin air.

Kairi stared for a few moments before her thoughts kicked back into motion. Snow! She ran for the fallen princess, cradled in Florian's tender embrace. "Is she-?" Kairi asked, almost shouted.

"She's fine," Florian assured. "Just passed out." Kairi heaved a sigh of relief, falling to her knee as her Keyblade supported her. She had a few moments of respite before the tip of Destiny's Embrace flashed. Kairi stood and looked back at the mine entrance.

Above the carved door appeared the glowing outline of the Keyhole, emerging into full depth. With a small smile of familiarity, Kairi approached the mine and raised her Keyblade. Motes of Light swirled and condensed before firing out and into the Keyhole, sealing it away with that satisfying click. The keyhole faded away into golden dust before settling into a mere outline in the cliff. 'Thrice establishes a pattern,' Kairi thought proudly.

"Oh." Kairi whirled around to find Snow sitting up, beaming at her. "Thank you, Kairi," she said, standing with Florian's support.

Kairi blushed and shrugged her shoulders, dismissing her Keyblade. "Oh, you know. Just, uh, doing my duty."

Snow, still smiling, wrapped her in a tight hug. "Duty or not, thank you." She let Kairi go and reached back to take florian's hand in her own.

"You have my thanks, as well, Lady Kairi," he said warmly.

Kairi smiled in thanks before glancing up at Yen Sid. He stood as still as a statue, but she was certain he was ready to go home. She certainly was. "Thanks, guys. But, uh, I think it's time for me to go." She grinned. "A Keybearer's work is never done, and all that."

Snow and Florian seemed surprised by the suddenness, but both nodded in understanding. "Well, rest assured you are always welcome here," Snow assured. With another quick hug from both of them, Kairi set off at a brisk jog down the trail waving goodbye as she went. She ducked behind a cliff wall to find Yen Sid waiting for her.

He said nothing - there was no need. The faint grin he wore spoke all that was needed. He was proud of her performance. With a flick of his wrist, the Door to the Mysterious Tower appeared and opened.

As Kairi followed her Master through, the thoughts in the back of her mind rushed to the forefront. She started to turn back, only to have the Door seal itself and fade away. She frowned and sighed before resuming her trek.

She'd forgotten to ask about Terra and Ven! She shook it off, the other developement of her trial coming to bear.

Yen Sid had ordered her silence about Sora. And Snow had hesitated every time she was about to mention him. Somehow, she doubted those details were unconnected. Fingering a thread from the shredded front of her coat, she resolved to determine the why.

* * *

In a great circular room, known to some as Where Nothing Gathers, or the Round Room, a single figure sat on a throne-like chair, higher than the twelve that surrounded him. Though the cowl of his Black Coat was up and concealed his features in its shadow, the ends of silver locks could be seen. A column of Darkness emerged on a nearby throne, revealing another figure in the attire of the mysterious Organization.

"Report," ordered the first man, the Superior, in a smooth baritone.

"A flock of patrolling Dusks reported something quite unusual," the other man said, his voice soft and emotionless. "In the Dwarf Woodlands, a great surge of Light emerged without warning."

The Superior was silent as he mulled this over. "Was there anything else?" he asked.

"One of the Dusks also reported a brief glimpse of a second great Light. The others thought it was just that of the Princess who lives there. But this one was quite … adamant that there was a second." The Superior hummed in thought.

"Should I send Number II to investigate?" the second asked.

"No," he responded. "I feel whatever has happened has run its course." He was silent for a few moments. "But ... should something like this happen again, inform me at once."

"By your leave, my lord," the second replied, disappearing in another column of Darkness.

The Superior remained, considering this development. And more importantly, what it could mean for his plans. "Once is happenstance," he muttered to himself.

 **What'd y'all think of Kairi's first mission. And by first, I mean first of many. Send a review, let me know!**

 ***Yen Sid's order and Snow's headaches will be explained soon enough. What do y'all think is happening?**

 ***Sleepy being the one to mention the Keyhole's location was a nod to a head-canon of mine. Sleepy, to me, always seemed the most perceptive of the dwarves. He was the one who realized that the animals were trying to get them to rescue Snow. "Maybe the ole Queen, uh, got Snow White." It's always the quiet ones, eh?**

 ***The Heartless "boss", for the record, is known to me as the "Huntsman". It was inspired by the Huntsman from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves", the one who refused to kill Snow. Terra took his place in "Birth by Sleep", but for some reason I always liked the character. So I thought I'd give him a nod here.**

 ***For those of you with concerns, Snow's use of the Light to push back the Heartless does not make her a "warrior" type. It was centered more around her strong motherly nature, her desire to protect Florian and Kairi. Plus, personally, I think all of the Princesses have some innate power to fight** ** _against_** **the Darkness - their hearts are fragments of the freakin' X-Blade! Her "spell", for lack of a better word, is basically Queen Minnie's "Faith" command from "KH2".**

 ***I based which Heartless "breeds" appear here, and will appear in other worlds, on "Kingdom Hearts x". I haven't played it myself, but the KH Wiki gives a list. I'll be refraining from more "specialized" Heartless from that game, and instead focus on the more general types that appear in a bunch of places. I doubt the game (or rather the illusions therein) is fully "canon", it just gives me a list to work with.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Kairi kept quiet about her observations for three days before bringing it up to her Master. After completing a strenuous obstacle course he had set up with magic, Kairi steeled herself and asked, "Master Yen Sid?"

Apparently noticing her subdued tone, Yen Sid glanced at her from the large book in his hands. "Yes?" he asked.

She automatically adopted what Sora had once called her "interrogation pose" that she used when demanding answers from him or Riku. Arms crossed, left hip out, eyebrow raised. "Why did you order my silence about Sora?" she finished, violet eyes hard and uncompromising.

Though his expression remained unchanging, Yen Sid silently chuckled at his apprentice's attempt to intimidate him. True, that method may have worked on those her own age, but he had long since grown past such juvenile tactics. He agreed that she had a right to know, but to make sure she knew her place …

Yen Sid's gaze grew as icy as a glacier as he stood from his conjured chair, his full height towering over the redhead before him. His own eyebrow rose in what Mickey had often called his "dirty look". And judging by Kairi's wide eyes and shrinking posture, it was far more effective than her own efforts. "Do not presume to demand explanations from me, my apprentice. You are my student, and I your mentor. What I choose to tell you is by my discretion, not yours." The ground seemed to tremble under the force of his gaze. "Am I clear?" Kairi nodded, her skin paler than usual.

With that assurance, Yen Sid's glare melted to his usual sternness. "As it turns out, I had planned to explain after your physical training." He turned back to the tower, gesturing for her to follow. "Come along."

Kairi followed with an unsure pace, mind whirling. Had he expected her to demand answers or was he just humoring her? She shook off that question and a dozen like it and simply followed. Yen Sid was old; who knew what went on in that balding head of his?

Less than an hour later, Kairi sat in a padded chair, facing her Master who sat in a similar chair, his ever-present hat on a small table beside him. The fireplace of a parlor she hadn't yet seen crackled merrily, a cup of tea warming her hands. Yen Sid stared into the fire as his tea cooled, as if it held the answers to any questions he himself might have.

"Master?" she prodded. "About my orders?"

Yen Sid shook himself and sighed. "Before we begin, I would ask that you hold your questions, of which I am sure there will be many, until I finish," he said. Kairi nodded for him to continue.

"Several weeks ago, soon after I first brought you here, my meditation upon the stars revealed something very unusual happening across them. Something that I believe has never happened before. Throughout the cosmos, the memories of peoples across these worlds began to change." He closed his eyes, as if visualizing such a thing. "Among these peoples, all of them had one thing in common."

He opened his eyes again, his gaze fixed on hers. "All of them had been impacted by Sora during his first journey. And because of whatever force has caused it, every one of them has utterly and completely forgotten him."

Kairi stared back at her Master, too stunned even to gasp. Forgotten him?! Kairi visibly restrained herself from unleashing an onslaught of questions and merely nodded her head for him to continue.

"Despite the fearful implications of such a thing, I do not believe this was the original intent. Rather, I believe it was a side effect of something else."

"Side effect of what?" Kairi asked, unable to help herself. What kind of person would remove all memory of Sora from the worlds? What _could_ do that?!

"I have only theories, and none satisfactory, at that," Yen Sid revealed. "But I do not believe this to be a permanent state. Even as we speak, I can feel whatever force had broken the chains working to repair them." Kairi looked away as she processed this revelation.

"What chains?" she asked.

"Chains of memory," Yen Sid explained. "Memory is a powerful thing, Kairi, and intimately connected to the heart and its bonds. So much that the complete erasing of one's memory can shatter their heart. Whatever force has wrought these effects, I believe its attentions were directed only at Sora himself.

"As this force altered his own memory, these changes echoed through the chains that bind his heart to others. And without a guiding force for the changes in others, their hearts sealed away the focus of these changes. Namely, they sealed away Sora."

Kairi, who had grown steadily paler through her Master's explanation, felt her eyes begin to burn. It was only through sheer determination that nothing escaped. "Is there anything we can do to fix this?" she asked, her voice hollow.

"As it happens, I do not believe we need to," Yen Sid replied. "As I said before, I feel that the damage to the chains of memory are being repaired. Upon the completion of this task, everyone affected will remember Sora in full, as if nothing had happened. As for us, all we can do is wait for this event to run its course."

Kairi looked down, her nails drumming against her armrest in thought. "But, that doesn't explain why you want me to keep quiet," she pointed out. "If anything, shouldn't I spread the word? It may speed up the repairs!"

Yen Sid nodded at her point. "It could," he conceded. "Or it could interfere with it. If you were to remind people of Sora's impact on their lives, it would likely result in falsified memories. And upon the repair of these chains, it may damage the minds of those with these false memories. It may even damage Sora himself."

Kairi slumped back in her seat. Of course it wouldn't be that simple.

"There's one last thing I don't understand," she said, looking up at him. "What about me? I remember Sora just fine. I remember when we first met, how we used to play with Riku on the island, when I gave him my lucky charm …" When he faded away after unlocking his heart, when I brought him back from the Darkness, when we were separated again. "... I remember everything. How is that possible?" Was she _not_ connected to Sora's heart?

"Had you not been here, those memories would have been lost to you," Yen Sid revealed. "However, unlike all others, I do not believe you would have forgotten completely. The details of your friend would have faded away into the depths of your heart, but his presence would have never left. You, Kairi, have a stronger bond with Sora than any other." Kairi felt her cheeks heating up at his words.

"I believe that the nature of this isle among the stars, aided by my many wardings around the place, reduced the effects of whatever caused all of this. Coupled with your bond with Sora, you naturally recovered whatever memories would have faded without knowing it."

Kairi sighed in relief. "How long will it take for all of this to be fixed?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, I cannot say. I feel a conscious force guiding these events, and such things can encounter complications. The best we can do is prevent anything that may slow the process further." Yen Sid finished his tea and stood to dump the dregs into the fire. "For now, we will continue with your training. Once again, I cannot stress enough your silence on this matter to those who may soon remember Sora."

Kairi nodded and stood to dispose of her own dregs before following her Master out of the tower. As she helped Yen Sid prepare lunch, her mind whirled with questions about what had happened. Yen Sid's explanation had made sense, and it explained Snow's lapses in focus when she recalled events that included Sora.

As they finished preparing their meal, a realization far greater than the questions struck her: Master Aqua. Master Aqua remembered Sora. And Yen Sid, even though he no strong connection.

What did that mean? It meant that whatever had caused all this hadn't been perfect. And it meant that there really was hope for things to return to the way they had been. As she set the table, Kairi nodded to herself, her feelings of despair at learning Sora's newfound fate evaporating.

He would be alright. He was _Sora_. And in the meantime, she would do all she could to make sure he was safe when he returned.

* * *

Far across the Interspace, a small world of a great castle and its accompanying town floated in peace. In the castle, a great structure of white stone and blue-tiled roofs, Queen Minnie Mouse of Disney Castle patted the sheets of parchment on her desk, straightening them up as she wrapped up her day. As a monarch who personally cared for her subjects, Minnie held open court twice a week - a day for the populace of Disney Town to bring their opinions and grievances (as few as the latter were) to her attention.

Minnie smiled to herself as she reflected on her early rule, when she had been uncertain of herself and questioned every one of her decisions. The ensuing ten years, and the unwavering support of her husband, had done much to strengthen her confidence.

As Queen Minnie finished sorting her various documents, her lady-in-waiting Daisy stuck her head in through the door. "Your Majesty," she said, noticeably falling back on her title, "you have one more petitioner." Minnie's eyebrow rose in surprise. Usually it was Daisy herself dragging Minnie from this very desk to relax for the rest of the evening.

The fact that said handmaiden was announcing a final case was a tad … disconcerting.

"Very well," Minnie replied, "send them in." Daisy ducked back and opened the door. Minnie, to her credit, _merely_ gasped in surprise at the sight of her final "petitioner". She didn't do anything foolish, such as leap from her chair or fall backward in surprise.

"Queen Minnie, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," intoned what-could-only-be Master Yen Sid as he sat in the petitioner's chair.

Minnie swallowed, in more awe than fear, before shaking off her surprise and reverting to her royal training. She was a queen in her own castle, not a child.

"Master Yen Sid, I presume," she greeted. "Mickey has told me much about you."

"Not all bad, I would hope," Yen Sid replied, the trace of a smile in his tone.

"Not at all," Minnie chuckled. "In fact, he had nothing but praise. Aside from your firm hand with chores." Yen Sid nodded, conceding the point. Minnie wove her fingers, her smile fading to a look of seriousness. "If I may ask, Master Sid, why have you come to my home? I can only assume this is not a social call." To her admittedly little knowledge, Yen Sid rarely left his home at all.

"Indeed not, Your Majesty," Yen Sid said. "Though I am not a citizen of your world, I have come to you with a request."

"Request?" Minnie said, her surprise evident.

"I have taken on a new apprentice, a girl who is quite strong in the Light." Yen Sid chuckled inside at such an understatement. "While I do not doubt my abilities to teach her the powers of the Light, I believe she would do well in learning from someone with a more … focused approach." He looked around the room, then in the direction of the throne room. Or, more likely, the something underneath it. "And I feel that this world's … ambiance would do her good."

Minnie glanced aside, idly rubbing the ring on her finger as she considered Yen Sid's request. Something about his request made her feel there was something she was missing. "Who is this girl?" she asked quietly.

"Her name is Kairi," he answered simply. "The seventh Princess of Heart."

Minnie's eyes widened in surprise. A Princess of Heart … who could wield a Keyblade? Once the shock passed, she couldn't help but smile at the idea. And the name, Kairi … could it be the same as the girl from Mickey's letters, the girl so strongly connected to the young Sora? Minnie believed in many things, but coincidence was not one of them.

"It would be an honor to teach her what I can," she replied.

"Thank you," Yen Sid said, rising from his seat. "When shall I bring her to begin her lessons?"

"Next week should be fine," Minnie said, rising as well.

The sorcerer nodded, eyes narrowing. "I would also strongly request that this be kept … quiet." His voice became … intense. "As quiet as a mouse." Minnie nodded in understanding, and Yen Sid took his leave in a whirl of blue robes, leaving Daisy staring after him. The lady-in-waiting approached her queen and leaned in close.

"That's the man who trained the King, isn't it?" she asked, voice hushed.

"It is," Minnie said. "Is this a problem?"

"No, no, no problem," Daisy assured. And though she seemed nonchalant, inside she was burning to spread this news like a true gossip. Minnie may have been the queen of Disney Castle and Town, but Daisy ruled the world of gossip. And Minnie knew her oldest friend all too well.

"Daisy, I don't want this information to pass beyond you and me," she said sternly. "No one will know about this. Am I clear?"

Daisy clamped her bill shut, fingers twitching ever-so-slightly as she fought against her nature. "Yes, my queen," she grit out.

Minnie merely chuckled at her friend.

* * *

Exactly seven days after his meeting with the Queen, Yen Sid announced at breakfast that Kairi would be tackling the next phase of her training. "You have taken to magic and the physical side of things quite nicely," he assured, "but there is another aspect of Keyblade training that will begin today." What he didn't voice was that he was rather eager for her to begin.

"What aspect?" Kairi asked. Yen Sid merely smirked and continued to eat his porridge. Kairi narrowed her eyes at the old sorcerer. "You really like doing that whole 'I know, you don't, you'll be stunned when you find out' thing, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied. "All who devote their lives to the study of magic do. It is one of the few ways we can still have fun as we age."

Kairi sighed through her nose and turned her attention back to her breakfast, trying somewhat in vain to ignore the scenarios and possibilities that swirled through her head.

Finally, after Kairi had been given time to pack, Yen Sid stood and performed his rite to summon one of his Doors. This one was made of pale wood, carved with the likeness of a castle in the upper half and the outline of a town in the bottom half. A star surrounded by a nimbus of light sat in the upper-right corner, a familiar three-circle symbol in the upper-left.

Yen Sid pushed open the Door and led the way, the light blinding Kairi for a moment. When she blinked away the spots in her vision, her chin fell in astonishment. They had arrived in a large garden, huge beds of vibrant flowers surrounding beautifully shaped hedge sculptures. White walls surrounded the garden, a single door visible in a corner.

And even beyond the majesty of the garden, Kairi felt a sense of … safety in this place. A warmth unlike anything she had ever known before. The closest thing she could compare it to was the "glow" of Destiny Islands.

"Come along, Kairi," Yen Sid instructed before making his way toward that tiny door. Kairi took another few moments to marvel at the garden - even the gardens in her home, for which the world had been named, were rivalled by this. It was only after Yen Sid's words caught up with her that she looked back at the door to find her Master exiting the garden.

At least he walked at a sedate pace. She caught up easily.

After catching up, Yen Sid led her up a carpeted stairway that led into a lavish hall, the open-air windows allowing a great view of the garden. Halfway through, they passed a set of grand double doors that stretched so high she had to crane her neck to see the tops. How did they open such massive doors? And where did they lead? Someplace nice, clearly.

At the end of the hall sat a pair of regular-sized double doors carved from brown wood. Yen Sid opened the doors, moving aside to allow Kairi to enter first, to reveal a one-room library. A stone fireplace sat on the right wall, a desk facing it against the opposite side. A number of bookshelves on the left wall behind the desk and a larger set of shelves on the far wall across from the door.

Frankly, as far as libraries went, she had seen better. The castle library of her first home put this cozy reading nook to shame.

It was only after the second sweep of her gaze across the room that she realized the library was occupied. Although, in her defense, the occupant was tiny. Seriously, she was smaller than Kairi herself.

Said occupant turned from the far-facing bookshelves, closing the book in her hands with a dull _thump_ , to reveal an anthropomorphic mouse. Kairi's eyes widened in surprise. Not at this … woman's state of being (meeting Donald and Goofy in Hollow Bastion had helped her adjust to that kind of thing), but to the fact that she was a _woman_ at all. Again, she had only met Donald and Goofy, both men.

"Oh, Master Sid," the woman said with a kind smile, "welcome back." The mouse, obviously a noble of some sort judging by her opulent pink dress and elbow-length gloves, reshelved her book and approached them. She turned her gaze onto Kairi and her smile grew even warmer, if that were possible. "And this lovely young lady must be Kairi," she surmised. Kairi nodded, unsure of what to say.

"Indeed she is," Yen Sid agreed. "Kairi, may I introduce Queen Minnie, monarch of Disney Castle and its town." Kairi started at the title, suddenly noticing the tiara on the Queen's brow. With no other idea of what to do and color rising in her cheeks, she attempted to bow. Then a memory from her childhood emerged, fuzzy with age. She remembered being with her grandmother, who curtsied before a regal blonde man in a lab coat and red scarf, age evident in the lines of his face.

Kairi attempted to curtsey, to imitate her vague memory even without a skirt. The Queen chuckled and gestured for her to rise. "No need for such formalities, Kairi," she said sweetly. "You are a guest here, after all."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Kairi said, her blush slowly receding.

"If that is all, Queen Minnie," Yen Sid said, "I believe I shall leave my apprentice in your capable hands." Without another word, a pillar of greenish light arose from the ground to envelope the sorcerer, only to fade away and reveal thin air. As if he had never been standing there.

"Wow," Kairi said. "I didn't know he could do that."

Queen Minnie giggled. "The King always spoke of Yen Sid's flair for the dramatic," she noted. "Apparently it is something sorcerers all share."

At the mention of the King, Kairi's head whipped around. Pieces of a puzzle she had no idea she'd been working out fell into place and a light bulb went off in her head. "You're King Mickey's wife!" she said. After the words left her mouth, she felt kind of foolish. How many other royal mice lived in the universe? On second thought, she probably didn't want to know.

Minnie nodded. "Indeed, I am," she replied, affection all-too-evident in her voice. She gestured to a pair of chairs facing the empty fireplace and the two sat. Minnie held out her hand, fingers splayed and palm facing the fireplace, and a cheery blaze formed in the grate. "Now then," she said, "did Yen Sid tell you why you've been brought here?"

Kairi felt the color return to her face as she shook her head. "All he said was something about the 'next phase of Keyblade training'."

Minnie nodded. "What he meant was the use of the Light in self-defense," she revealed. Kairi sat up straighter at this news, fragmented images of Sora's adventure flashing across her mind's eye. Sora slashing at Heartless with his Keyblade glowing with golden power, firing swirling arrows of white energy, forming an orb of Light that exploded to sear away all Darkness in its wake.

"Now before you get any grandiose ideas," Minnie said, "my knowledge in this area isn't far-reaching. But I know enough to teach you, and the nature of my world allows one to learn this power more easily."

"Nature of your world?" Kairi asked. Surely that meant the soothing feeling that seemed to emanate from the ground.

Minnie nodded and stood from her chair. "I think that is something easier shown than explained," she said before gesturing for her to follow and leading the way out of the library.

The Queen stopped at the huge doors in the middle of the hallway, once again raising the question of how they were opened. Especially by someone as small as Minnie. Kairi herself probably had a better chance at moving those monoliths!

Minnie knocked on the left door, which revealed a much smaller door cut from the big one. 'Okay', she thought, 'that explains that'.

The small door led into a truly awe-inspiring room of silvery-white marble. The red carpet that led through the middle revealed a large throne at the far end on a wide, blue platform, settled between two huge statues that vaguely resembled Donald and Goofy.

Minnie led the way across the huge room and to the throne, where she examined the left armrest. "Ahah!" she exclaimed as she found a button. The blue platform began to slowly move to the side. A blinding white light emerged from beneath it, blinding Kairi. After a few seconds, the light subsided and she opened her eyes. She gasped and placed a hand to her heart as the feeling in the air seemed to grow stronger.

"Come along," Minnie said, and started down the stairs revealed by the platform. Kairi nodded and followed, curiosity blazing. The steps led down to an equally large room made of identical silvery marble. But rather than a throne room, this room was almost empty. The only thing in it was a marble pedestal, holding up a massive glass sphere. In the sphere sat an orb of Light, shining with power.

"This room is called the 'Hall of the Cornerstone'. It was built to contain this, the Cornerstone of Light." As she spoke, Queen Minnie led the way to draw close to the sphere. "The Cornerstone has always protected us from worlds that are evil." Minnie briefly thought about those creatures that appeared ten years before, but brushed it off.

As the Queen spoke, Kairi couldn't help but reach up to touch the Cornerstone. At her touch, the orb of Light seemed to flare for a brief moment, like when oil was tossed on a fire.

"It's beautiful," Kairi whispered. No wonder King Mickey became a Keybearer. Coming from a world like this, so full of Light, was like a calling in itself to fight against the Darkness.

"So when do we start?" Kairi asked, turning back to the Queen.

"We'll begin in the morning," she answered. "For the rest of the day, I have my duties to attend to." The Queen placed a finger against her lips, brows scrunched in thought. She smiled as she seemed to come to a conclusion. "Why don't you spend the day exploring the town?" she suggested. "There are many things to do, and I'm certain Master Sid gives you little free time."

Kairi giggled and nodded before following Minnie out. Seems she had earned another day off.

 **New chapter. Hope y'all like it!**

 ***The chapter brings together two things I've been ready to write on: Everyone forgetting about Sora (and why Kairi hasn't, here,) and Kairi's training in the use of the Light.**

 ***The "chains of memory" thing was the best I could piece together from Namine's explanations in _CoM_ and my own theorizing. For future reference, those who haven't met Sora, and therefore have not truly connected to him, have memories of him. People like Yen Sid (who learned about him from the stars) and Queen Minnie (who learned about him from Mickey's letter - it's in the game). Aqua remembers because of her imprisonment; I doubt Namine's powers could both cross realms and get through the weird flow of time in the Dark Realm. **

***I chose Minnie to teach Kairi about Light for a few reasons: 1)I wanted Kairi to learn a little from someone else. And I think Yen Sid would have similar logic. 2)Minnie is basically the only user of Light who isn't a Keybearer or Princess of Heart. 3)I wanted to write Minnie. She doesn't get as much attention from the fandom as she deserves. And I wanted to showcase her real strength. (Heck, she's easily the most powerful subject of an escort mission).**

 ***Kairi's fuzzy memory from Radient Garden was inspired by a personal head-canon. I believe Kairi's grandmother was good friends with Ansem the Wise. Why else would she have access to his personal library in Kairi's memory of her story?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

As they left the throne room, Minnie placed her fingers to her lips and released a shrill whistle. After a few moments, a thin figure began to approach. Upon getting closer, Kairi realized with a start that it was a walking broom. The broom stopped and saluted with its wooden arm to Minnie.

"Please escort Miss Kairi to the town proper," she said. "And take her things to her room." The broom nodded and gently took Kairi's bag before gesturing for her to follow. Kairi cast a dubious glance at the Queen, who chuckled and nodded to her. Kairi shrugged and followed the broom.

After enough hallways to get her completely turned around, the broom led her to a huge courtyard, an open portcullis leading to a sizable plaza. Kairi thanked the broom for its help, to which it saluted and turned back to the castle at a brisk march. With nothing else to do, Kairi passed through the gate and into the plaza.

As she began to wander the streets, Kairi couldn't help but wonder how the town had been built. Everything had an air of playful haphazardness, as if it were built with the imagination of a child. Or with young children in mind. It wasn't bad, just unusual. And charming, in its own way.

She had been wandering around for about a half-hour when she stumbled upon an open court. She had to do a double-take at the sight of the game being played. A large banner loudly proclaimed the title "Fruitball!", and she couldn't argue with the accuracy. Contestants literally batted and spiked unnaturally large pieces of fruit, from melons to apples, to bunches of grapes at opposing goals, while blocking the efforts of the other team.

After moving past her confusion at the sight, she smiled and decided to try it out. As luck would have it, a horse wearing a large collar and overalls was announcing a chance to compete against the reigning champions, a pair of chipmunks in colorful uniforms.

"I'll do it!" Kairi spoke up.

In a matter of minutes, Kairi had been given the rundown of the rules and was being handed a practice racket. With a smirk, she waved it off and summoned Destiny's Embrace. The rules permitted a contestant to use their own tools, and Kairi felt most comfortable with the familiarity of her Keyblade.

The whistle shrilled it cry, and the game started.

Kairi had to admit that the game was more difficult than she had expected. The fruits were odd to handle, even with her hard-earned athleticism. And the chipmunks were good, working as a team to capitalize on her solitude. But one didn't grow up with Sora and Riku without developing a healthy sense of competition. Or a strong distaste for losing.

Kair decided to treat it as a training exercise, and this mindset paid off. She feinted going for fruits to throw the chipmunks off before striking out at their unguarded goal, and when they grew wise to that she began targeting them in turn. With one out of commission, for a few moments at least, it became easier to guard her goal and earn points.

With a final defense of her goal, the whistle shrilled again and Kairi relaxed, panting lightly. She joined her opponents at the dividing line to tally up the scores and was happy, and surprised, to see her narrow victory. The chipmunks, rather than sulk, simply congratulated her before excusing themselves to "return to work".

Kairi smiled at the cheers of the watching crowd, waving in gratitude for their praise. As she turned to leave, to blend into the crowd, the horse from before approached her.

"Well now, Miss, that was a lovely display. I haven't seen such a natural at Fruitball in years!" Kairi blushed at his words and smiled.

"Well, I grew up in a place with lots of sports, so it wasn't that hard to adjust." That wasn't a lie, even if she hadn't been as participative in said sports as she implied. As she spoke, the horse fingered his chin in thought, before snapping his fingers with bright eyes.

"You know, you remind me of another outworlder I met once. And not just that key-lookin' sword of yours. She was just as humble, and noble to boot." Kairi's eyes widened at the mention of her Keyblade. "What was her name, again?" the horse continued. "It's only been 'bout ten years … Mmmmmm, aha! Miss Aqua!"

That sealed it; Master Aqua had been here. And apparently left a good impression.

"Oh, now where are my manners?" the horse said, offering a surprisingly courtly bow. "Horace Horsecollar, miss," he introduced. She couldn't help but think how fitting his name was, given the large leather piece around his neck.

"Kairi," she offered in turn.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Kairi," Horace said with a smile. "It's a shame you didn't arrive in town a few days earlier. Would have been happy to have you here for the Dream Festival."

"Dream Festival?" she asked.

"Yep, it's an annual celebration of friendship and neighborliness put on by the Crown. Games and events are set up for all to participate in. In fact, today was the last day to play Fruitball." He chuckled. "You just snagged the winning place for the next year." Kairi blushed at the thought.

"But the best part-" Horace began, before hesitating. He smiled and gestured for her to follow him. With nothing else to do, and no sense that Horace or any other citizens of the town meant harm, she complied.

Horace brought her to a large plaque set into a wall of the courtyard. The words "Million Dreams Award" was emblazoned in bronze finish, followed by names that stretched back a solid eighty-five years.

"The best part of the Festival," Horace resumed, "is the Million Dreams Award. Each person in town votes for who they think is the most exemplary citizen. The winner gets a personalized ice cream flavor and a name on this plaque." He gestured at a specific date. Three names were listed under this one, set … ten years ago.

 _Terra, Aqua, Ventus._

"Each of these three visited the town that year. Each did somethin' to help the town for no other reason than to help. And all of them, from what I hear, carried one of those special swords." Horace smiled. "They were heroes, at least to this town." He folded his arms, his warm smile never wavering. "You think you can live up to that?"

Kairi glanced down, considering the question. Then she smirked and mirrored his stance. "Maybe, maybe not. But I'm definitely going to try."

"Now that's a hero's words," Horace said. With that, he offered to show her around town. With a smile, she happily agreed. And in the back of her mind, she made a promise to herself.

As soon as she found Sora and Riku, she'd bring them back here. And kick their butts at Fruitball, obviously.

* * *

In the reaches of the Realm Between there sat a lonely plain, the grassy fields only broken by a natural dirt path. At some point, this path crossed another, the reaches of these two crossways were unknown. Perhaps they merely stretched on to fall into the abyss. But the fourth meandered ever further through the plains to transform into stone, nestled within the folds of Endless Abyss.

On this final foundation of glittering stone, surrounded by glistening stalagmites, sat a castle. Composed of spikes of unknowable grey-brown stone and with copper-green roofs, all set in alien geometries, the castle's front door gave the impression of an unfathomable monster waiting to ensnare any who drew close. And even without such an unsettling appearance, the castle, with massive chains binding parts of it together, gave of an impression of … foreboding.

Not surprising, considering it wanted no visitors. It's purpose was unknown to all but one. It's purpose to protect.

But Castle Oblivion had been used for far less noble means in recent times. Adopted as a second base of the Organization XIII, it had been used as a research facility on memory. And though its caretakers among the Organization had been destroyed, a few residents still remained.

In the Castle's highest floor, in a room dominated by a massive device known as a memory pod, a young girl sat before the great device. Settled in her left arm was a sketchbook, colored pencils nestled in her lap. With each stroke of her pencils, the work of art before her grew more life-like.

The girl, Namine, concentrated on her task with single-minded determination. Yes, she did enjoy drawing for its own sake, but her task was far more important than simple art. Drawing helped her focus her power, a power she did not fully understand. One that she had been manipulated and then outright forced to use for a scheme she was ashamed to think about.

Namine looked up from her sketchbook to gaze through the opaque glass of the great pod, at the fuzzy image of her hero, the victim of her weakness. Sora.

Her power was this: the power to create, alter, and break the chains of memory of this boy and those he was connected to. And with that power, under the coercion of the vile Marluxia and his fellow traitors of the Organization, as well as her own sorrow and loneliness, she had twisted and warped Sora's memories.

In the end, Sora had won the day against the Nobodies, unknowingly aided from the shadows by his friend Riku. Sora had freed her from their grasp. But what she had done was wrong, she knew without a doubt. And so she had offered to make amends to what she had broken, to return him to the state he had been before he set foot in this empty castle.

And so Sora slept, untouched by hunger or thirst even as his adolescent body continued to grow. And so Namine continued her work, her drawings a medium into his mind and heart as she labored to repair his memories, to retrieve them from the Darkness and align them as they were meant to be.

Throughout the time since she had put him to sleep, Namine had felt sorrow and shame at her actions, at the pain she had caused Sora and his companions. But underneath that lay determination like iron, the will she had discovered thanks to Sora. The will to do what was right, no matter the cost to herself.

And even though she alone could do this, it was not a wholly solitary task. Pictures lay in stacks around her, depicting places the Keybearer had been and the people he had met. The lives he had impacted, their hearts bound to his in a way even the greatest of philosophers could not explain. And as she drew them, she experienced them. She saw the wondrous places he had been, seen the monsters he had slain, felt the trials he had overcome.

As she put the finishing touches on her latest work, her eyes narrowed and her lips set midway between the joy of her art and melancholy sadness, Namine lifted herself from the light trance she had entered. Delving into Sora's memories took no small amount of focus, and at its deepest it left her blind and deaf to the world around her. Of course, she was relatively safe here, protected by seclusion and secrecy.

Namine examined her latest work. A Keyblade patterned after a crashing wave on a sunset-painted shore, to culminate in a bouquet of flowers. The Destiny's Embrace, it was called.

Namine put the picture aside to examine another, one intimately related to this Keyblade. As well as to Namine herself. A lovely redheaded girl, with eyes of deep cerulean violet. A kind smile graced her lips, complementing the spark of mischief in her gaze. She stood with her hands clasped behind her, gazing at the viewer with equal innocence and quiet strength.

Kairi. Namine's Other.

Namine didn't need to be told how much she favored this girl. Aside from her flaxen-blonde hair and a bare number of subtle differences in facial structure, they could have been identical.

Namine had long-since realized the unique nature of her "birth". She was Nobody, but one unlike any other. Born from the body and soul of the boy sleeping before her, formed from an act of selflessness as he plunged his heart into Darkness to free Kairi's. Sora's body and soul had created his Nobody, a boy named Roxas, she was told. But it had also made her.

She knew, without needing proof, that this was the source of her power over his memories. She was a part of him. And through him, all those that were connected to him. Including the one he cared for most; her Other. Kairi.

As she had continued repairing his memories, Namine had felt her connection to Kairi growing stronger, nurtured by the strength of Sora's memories of her. And through this link, she had felt Kairi's own growing strength.

Namine set aside her sketchbook and rose to leave the chamber, exhausted from her work. She wanted more than anything to wake Sora as fast as possible, but she knew better than anyone that there was no shortcut, no quick fix. This was a marathon, not a sprint. And if she wanted to do her best, she had to be at her best. And that meant taking occasional breaks.

Namine passed the smaller pods containing Donald and Goofy, a sad smile tugging at her lips. These two had bonded with Sora almost as tightly as Kairi and Riku, their friendship forged by circumstance and tempered in the crucible of battle. What she wouldn't give to have a friendship like that. Or even a real friend.

Namine would admit to herself that she was jealous of her Other. The redhead had friendship and love that Namine had never experienced, aside from secondhand visions from memories or brittle mockeries she had wrung from replacing Kairi in Sora's memory. But these feelings, as impossible as it should be for a Nobody to have them, did not control her as they once did.

Perhaps it was an echo of the changes in Kairi, or perhaps the influence of the ever-determined Sora, she had resolved more than to fix her mistakes. As soon as Sora was back to himself, when her task was complete, she would strike out on her own. She would forge her own path and make her own memories.

Namine was drawn back to the present by the sense of a Dark Corridor. Out strode the imposing figure of Riku, his silver hair framing his face even as the blindfold covered his eyes. She felt fear twitch in her chest at the sight of the Black Coat he wore, but stamped it down.

"Riku?" she asked, "what is it?"

"There's someone who needs to talk to you," he said.

Another Dark Corridor opened to reveal a tall man in a suit of black segmented armor, a belt with three large pouches around his waist and all overlain by a red cape. His face was covered by red bandages and a pair of belts, aside from his mouth and a single orange eye.

"DiZ, or so I am known," he said, his words icy. Namine took a step back in surprise. A twitch of Riku's head, suggesting a glare, seemed to reel DiZ in. "I mean you no harm," DiZ assured, "I merely wish to aide your efforts. The young Sora is needed in the worlds." He folded his arms behind his back, under his cape. "Though their numbers have been cut nearly to half, the Organization still maintains this castle as one of its strongholds. And if they choose to take it back by force, there is little you or Riku can to do stop them on your own."

"What are you suggesting?" Namine asked. She was aware of her precarious position here.

"I have a laboratory in another world that can maintain your stasis pods. I would suggest we begin moving Sora and his friends there. The Organization is unaware of my presence, and that will protect the boy more than anything."

Namine's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She looked to Riku, who simply nodded. Overall, Namine trusted Riku. She had glimpsed into his heart and Sora's memories of him. She knew without a shred of doubt that he would protect Sora. And if he believed that this was their best chance, she trusted him on it.

"When do we begin?" she asked.

"Immediately," DiZ answered.

* * *

As the sun began to set over Disney Castle, Horace led her back to the castle gates. The horse had been a thoughtful guide throughout the day, asking questions and learning about Kairi as she herself learned from him. Had she not known better, she would have thought he were a trained tour guide.

Horace said his goodbyes and left her in the care of another walking broomstick. Or maybe it was the same one; who knew? After what seemed like another endless trek of twists and turns through the castle halls, it finally led her to a pair of average-sized double doors. The broom opened the doors for her and bowed before departing.

Kairi entered the room to find a small dining hall. Minnie was seated at the head of a table that could comfortably fit eight, accompanied by a female duck. Minnie looked up at the sound of her entrance and smiled. "Oh, Kairi. I was just about to send someone to find you." She gestured to the seat to her right. "I hope you're hungry. The cooks insisted on preparing a wide spread for your first night here."

Kairi settled into the proffered chair, giving a faint wave to the duck and receiving a smile in return. "Kairi, this is Daisy Duck, my head lady-in-waiting. Daisy, I'd like to officially introduce you to Yen Sid's apprentice." Her tone grew a touch stern. "Of whom your restrictions still apply."

Daisy glowered playfully at her queen. "My Queen, please. You act as if I have no self-restraint at all."

"You do," Minnie conceded, "just not when it comes to gossip."

Kairi giggled at the banter between the two. Clearly they were very close. It seemed everyone in this town was close to someone, much like back on the Islands. Her reflections were interrupted by the entrance of a number of waiters, who began to lay out a number of savory-smelling dishes. Kairi gaped at the sheer variety. Sure, Yen Sid had prepared things she didn't eat often, but this was easily a step beyond. The meal passed in comfortable silence, with Kairi attempting to reel in her appetite.

As the meal finally ended, Minnie glanced to her lady-in-waiting. "Daisy, why don't you go check on the preparations for Kairi's room?" Daisy lifted an eyebrow at the unspoken bid for privacy and nodded, leaving the two alone.

"Kairi, would you please come with me?" Kairi nodded and followed the Queen through the halls, eventually ending up at a large door of dark grey stone. Minnie lifted a hand, fingers splayed, and the borders of the door flashed with purple light and it opened with a faint grating noise to reveal a large round room, the walls cobbled with red tile and splashed with scorch marks.

"This is the King's personal training room. Even after he received his Mark of Mastery, he was adamant in building his skills should the need ever arise." As Kairi passed her, Minnie flicked the door closed. "Before you retire for the night, I wanted to give an example of what you will be learning."

Minnie gestured for her to stand back. With a flick of her wrist, a trio of spheres of white light appeared, not unlike the ones Yen Sid occasionally used for training. The spheres trembled, as if angry, and lurched for the Queen. Minnie drew her hands to her chest, the ring on her finger glowing for a moment, and thrust her right palm out. An orb of blue Light burst from her palm to strike at the lead sphere, bursting it into motes before it turned and struck at the other two.

"That is, honestly, the least of what I know. But it is my favorite spell, and Mickey's too." She turned to face Kairi, fingers steepled. "If you ask me, I think Master Sid has been waiting for you to learn this for quite some time. Very few Princesses in history have pursued a martial path, and none so strongly as you."

Kairi blushed at the Queen's words, a feeling of shame welling up. While she didn't regret anything she had done since meeting Yen Sid, far from it, she couldn't help but feel as if Minnie were scolding her. She glanced up in surprise at the feel of Minnie taking her hands in her own.

"Don't be ashamed, Kairi. You should be proud. For on this path, I believe you will be a force for good the likes of which have never been experienced."

Kairi's blush turned from shame to pride. On impulse, she knelt to wrap her arms around the Queen. Minnie grunted in surprise before smiling and returning the embrace. The two parted and left the training chamber behind, eventually arriving at a hall of guest rooms.

"Tomorrow morning, breakfast will be served at eight. I suggest lots of fruit for energy." She chuckled and folded her hands before her. "Believe me, you'll need it." Kairi smiled and nodded to the Queen before closing her door.

As she settled in her guest bed after her evening routine, Kairi's thoughts began to wander to questions about her Light training. She hoped beyond hope that she would take to this as quickly as Yen Sid and Queen Minnie seemed to believe.

As sleep began to close over her, a sudden feeling of panic had her bolt upright, senses taught as a bowstring. She remained like that for a few moments, the remnants of that strange feeling slowly washing away. A feeling like … someone was watching her. When she picked up nothing, she slowly eased herself back onto her pillow, curling her sheets in like a cocoon. As the warmth of the Cornerstone of Light soothed her, Kairi drifted off to sleep.

'Must have been my imagination,' she thought, before sleep drew her into its embrace.

* * *

Little did Kairi realize that her instinct had been something far greater than being watched. In the distant Castle Oblivion, Namine's breathed in and out, her dreams swirls of color akin to mixing paints.

As they both slept, an Other and her shadow, a smile slowly grew on Namine's lips. And in her chest, invisible to all, a soft light began to emerge.

 **Hope y'all like the new chapter. Kind of a set-up, but next time we get to Kairi's training in Light. Really looking forward to that!**

 ***I've always wondered what the residents of Disney Town recall about the Wayfinder Trio. Glad to lay out some of it.**

 ***Good to get out a bit of Namine's viewpoint. Girl's gone through so much.** **For those of you who are wondering, Namine will appear again later.**

 ***As for Kairi & Namine's "connecting", it was inspired by Riku's line in KH2. "He [Roxas] could feel Sora." If Roxas could feel Sora, why couldn't Kairi feel Namine? **And as for the 'glow', what do y'all think is happening?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The next morning found Kairi sitting in the King's training room, legs crossed in what Minnie had called the "lotus" position. Minnie herself sat in a similar pose, eyes closed in meditation. Kairi tilted her head at the sight of Minnie's chosen dress, a simply-cut pink dress with no additions or embellishments.

"Now, Kairi," Minnie said, "Master Yen Sid has mentioned that you have taken to magic quite well since you began your apprenticeship." Kairi nodded, in an acknowledgement of fact rather than pride. "Well, wielding the Light could be compared to magic, but it is … also quite different." Minnie paused, as if considering her next words carefully.

"Magic is a force that surrounds us, and is in its own way vital to the nature of reality. But it is a tool, just like the fires used to warm us or a river that turns a waterwheel. These things are distinct, ever-moving, and alive in their own way. But they are not in any way … conscious." Minnie swallowed thickly, her fingers twitching.

"The Light is more than that. It does not think or reason like you or I, but it is, in some way, alive."

Minnie paused again, chewing her lip in thought. "Kairi, is it alright if I share my personal beliefs with you? I have no evidence to support them, but I feel that they are correct. I feel it the same way I know, without a doubt, that I love Mickey as much as he loves me."

Kairi nodded her assent. "Of course, Queen Minnie," she said.

"I believe that the Keyblades are, in some way, a manifestation of the Light. A physical reflection, if you will." Minnie closed her eyes, ordering her thoughts. "There are legends that say there are Keyblades of Darkness, as well. Where they are, if there are any left, is a mystery lost to time." She opened her eyes with a faint smile. "But here in the Realm of Light, they are made to protect the Balance.

"What you must understand, Kairi, is that Darkness itself is not evil. Not really. The Cornerstone of Light protects this world from those that are evil, not dark. When we were younger, Mickey and I believed Darkness should never exist. But I don't think extremes are a healthy way to live. And if Mickey's letters are any indication, he has realized this truth as well."

Kairi looked away from the Queen, thoughts whirling. Darkness wasn't evil? They weren't the same thing? Everything that she had seen about the Darkness; the Heartless, the destruction of _both_ her homeworlds, Maleficent and her cronies, and of course Ansem. Nothing she had seen had given even the slightest hint that Darkness was anything _but_ evil, but violence and anger and hatred.

Kairi was snapped from her thoughts by Minnie's tinkling laughter. "Oh, don't be so serious, Kairi. I'm somewhat aware of your past. I'm not forcing you to come to terms with this immediately. I just want you to be prepared to keep an open mind. After all, when we refuse to keep learning, to accept new wisdom because it defies tradition, that is when we stop growing. And when we stop growing, we begin to fall."

Minnie rose from the ground, prompting Kairi to do the same. "But I believe that's enough philosophy for one morning. I'm sure you're ready to begin more practical learning." Kairi grinned and nodded.

Minnie reached up and took her hands in a light grasp, only their fingertips touching. "Now Kairi, I said before that using the light is like using magic. With both, you learn to make contact with a powerful force and channel it into a chosen purpose. Before I teach you what you can do, first you must make contact with your own Light. Just as you once did with your magic."

Kairi nodded and closed her eyes with a slow sigh. After hours of training with Yen Sid in meditation, she had learned to enter a fragile trance. If given enough time. After a while, she felt the ambient magic within her, like a cocoon of shimmering energy that spread throughout her body, just under her skin. This was familiar and in its own way comforting. But it wasn't what she was looking for.

After a while, Kairi began to grow impatient. And her impatience cracked her trance, the pieces spider webbing to return her to full consciousness. With a huff and a deep breath, she tried again, but her efforts were rewarded with an even quicker return. After a full half-hour, according to a sandglass next to the curved walls, Kairi groaned. "This isn't working," she said.

Minnie hummed in agreement and tapped her finger to her lips in thought. This method had been taught to her by Mickey, who in turn had learned from Yen Sid. Wait … wait a moment! Minnie's eyes widened as she realized her error. The techniques had been taught by Yen Sid, but that wasn't how Mickey had first brushed the Light!

Mickey's voice echoed in her mind as the memory rose from within her - one of her most cherished.

 _"I remember clear as anything when I first touched the Light. A warm feeling rose up inside, and I felt like I could do anything! It was when I first saw you, Minnie." He took her hand in his, weaving their fingers. "You are my Light."_

Minnie looked up to Kairi, catching her gaze. Minnie had learned long ago how to read a person through their eyes. It was how she had trusted Mickey and his friends from the beginning, and how she knew ten years ago that Pete had gone too far off the deep end, that he would never change.

In Kairi's eyes, she saw fires of determination, tempered by compassion. She saw trauma in the girl's past, barely remembered as well as recent, which in turn was smoothed by the warmth of a loving childhood. And among all that, she saw something very familiar - something she saw when she looked in the mirror. She saw love, young love.

And more than anyone, Minnie knew that love in all its myriad forms was a power that connected all things, whether Light or Darkness.

"Kairi, I have an idea." She took Kairi's fingers in her grip again. "I want you to close your eyes and visualize someone for me." Kairi pursed her lips in puzzlement, but did as she was told. "I want you to imagine … Sora."

Kairi's focus was shaken by the unexpected order, but she pushed through it and onward. She smiled as she remembered everything she could, cherishing the fact that she actually _could_ remember after her talk with Yen Sid. She saw every detail of him, from his cerulean eyes and chocolate hair, to that goofy grin. She felt his arms around her after he had been returned from the Darkness. Her fingers closed over the ghost of his as she remembered his promise to her. _I'll come back to you_.

And through it all, she felt a warmth rise inside her. A familiar warmth, one that she somehow knew had been sleeping inside her all her life. Acting on instinct, her arm rose, her palm up with fingers spread out, and motes of Light emanated from her palm to merge into a ball of golden Light.

Kairi's eyes shot open to find herself glowing like a beacon and the ball vanished, snuffed out like a candle flame. She blinked away the spots that dotted her field of vision, stumbling back as a wave of fatigue washed over her. "What just happened?" Kairi asked.

"Oh, you harnessed your Light!" Minnie cheered. "Well done, Kairi! Well done!" Minnie gasped as Kairi started to fall, catching her in her deceptively strong grip. Despite her size, Minnie was more than capable of handling a slim teenaged girl.

"I think that's enough for now," Minnie giggled. "We'll get you some brunch and continue after a nap."

Kairi could only give a shaky nod, her knees wobbling as Minnie helped her out of the training room.

* * *

As the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, Kairi trudged to her temporary room, every bone and muscle in her body feeling like she had been put through a clothes wringer. Minnie had explained that harnessing one's Light - even in the feeble, fleeting amounts Kairi had managed to summon in the eight hours of practice after brunch - was drawing power directly from the heart. And the body reflected the state of the heart and the mind, hence her exhaustion.

Kairi collapsed onto her bed, her frayed mind giving peaceful numbness to her sore body. And not just sore like a long day of Keyblade training. Sore like a deep, pulsing ache emanating from her chest and spreading in waves from the crown of her head to the tips of her fingers and toes.

Minnie had further explained, from personal experience, that the soreness would be gone by the morning and would steadily lessen with practice. Her heart was strong and she would adapt quickly.

As merciful blackness washed over her, dragging her into the peaceful folds of sleep, Kairi unthinkingly clutched at her pendant. Her breathing evened out as she surrendered to the call of slumber, her pendant faintly glowing in time with her heartbeat.

* * *

'Twenty-seven times', Aqua thought. 'Or, wait, is it twenty-eight?' She brushed that thought aside as she approached the Dark Margin for the umpteenth time. Her efforts to remember how many times she had stumbled upon this ebony beach had once again been thrown off. It may not have provided an accurate means of telling time in this hellish place, but it gave her something to do.

Nearing the shoreline, she approached a familiar arching boulder and summoned Master's Defender to slash another scratch into the obsidian surface. A quick count of the tally marks numbered twenty-seven. She shouldn't have second-guessed herself.

Aqua dismissed her Keyblade and plopped onto the black sands, hissing with discomfort as she peeled off her armored boots to reveal oozing sores. A quick cure spell fixed the damage, but the phantom pains would continue for a few hours. Not for the first time, she wondered how her boots were still functional after who-knew how much time she had spent in this Realm.

Setting her boots to the side, Aqua inched closer to the water - or whatever it was - and eased her feet into the merciful chill. With a shaky sigh, Aqua lay back on the sands, breathing evening out to rest.

Just as her heartbeat began to settle, Aqua opened her eyes and placed a hand on her chest. A faint warmth had risen there. Aqua glanced around … and stifled a shriek at the sight of someone else close by, their front buried in the black sands.

Aqua stumbled to her feet and approached to kneel before this person. She gently moved their head to get a look at them. After clearing some stray sand from the person's face, Aqua placed a hand over her lips in astonishment. It was Kairi!

Kairi groaned and her eyes fluttered open, blearily looking at her. It took a moment for her to comprehend what she was seeing … and she shot up to her knees when it clicked. "Master Aqua?!" she shouted. Her face turned red enough to match her hair and she clapped her hands over her mouth in mortification at screaming at her Predecessor.

Aqua laughed at the display, blinking rapidly as her smile fell. It had been a long time since she had laughed.

"Master Aqua?" Kairi asked at a much more sedate volume, "Where am I? How did I get here?"

Aqua pursed her lips as she thought back to her visions of Terra and Ven not too long ago. Or maybe it was? Whatever. "I don't know," she admitted. "What were you doing before you got here?"

"I was learning to use my Light with Queen Minnie," Kairi answered immediately.

Aqua's brows shot up in pleasant surprise. "Queen Minnie's teaching you? I thought you were apprenticed to Master Yen Sid?"

"I am," Kairi assured. "I think that he believes it's good for me to learn something from someone else. Or maybe he just wants some time alone to get back to his reclusive sorcerer thing."

Aqua chuckled again, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. "Kairi, I don't think you're really here," she revealed. She held up a hand to stall Kairi's questions. "I think … our link with your spell has allowed you to see this place. Your presence here is an illusion created by my heart. Your exhaustion must have lowered your guard and allowed your mind to wander to this place. For a time."

"How'd you know I was so tired?" Kairi asked.

"Did you think I was just born with skill with the Light?" Aqua replied. "As impossible as it seems, I had to learn it too. And I remember how tired I felt after I started learning under my own Master."

Kairi chuckled and tucked her legs underneath her, idly scratching patterns in the sand around her. "You still didn't say where this place is," she commented.

Aqua shrugged. "I've been calling it the 'Dark Margin'. I feel like … it's the edge of the Dark Realm." She blinked as a thought crossed her mind. "Maybe that's why we can speak like this. It's as close to the Realm of Light as I can get."

Kairi looked down at the reminder of Master Aqua's plight. She had spoken with Yen Sid about the Dark Realm, wondering beyond hope if there was a way to rescue her. Yen Sid had told her what little he knew of the place and how unlikely was to find her by chance. Not to mention impossible without a functional way to enter the Realm itself.

"Can you stay here?" Kairi asked. At Aqua's questioning look, she decided to elaborate. "I man, can't you stay here so we can talk. It doesn't look like there's any Heartless around," Yen Sid had mentioned that the Dark Realm was crawling with Heartless, "so can't you just relax here until we come and get you?"

"Get me?" Aqua asked.

Kairi's gaze turned hard as steel. "Get you. I'll get you out of this place, Master Aqua. I promise you that."

Aqua blinked at the feeling of something cold on her face, brushing away a stray tear. "It is peaceful here, but … Time is different in this place." She looked at herself in the reflection of the gently lapping surf. "It's been ten years on the outside and I look exactly the same. If I just stayed here, I'd go stir crazy." She chuckled without humor. "And I think my sanity is strained enough as it is."

Kairi clenched her jaw in frustration. Frustration at herself for being unable to help the woman who had quickly become her idol. "Well, can you at least come here often so we can talk?"

Aqua smiled warmly. "Of course. I mean, this place just kind of appears when I really need a break, but I'll do what I can." Kairi nodded, resolving to try and meditate before bed every night. As the silence stretched on, Kairi wracked her brain for something to say. Her hero was right here! She needed to say something!

"How are your studies coming?" Aqua asked.

"Good," Kairi sighed in relief. "Very good. Great, even. My swordplay is getting better and my magic is awesome!" Kairi cleared her throat as she reeled in her enthusiasm. "I guess it's coming along pretty good if Yen Sid moved mt up to using Light," she reasoned.

" _Master_ Yen Sid," Aqua stressed, tone firm. "He is your teacher and deserves that much respect."

"Yes, _Master_ Aqua," Kairi replied with a grin. Aqua grinned in return before turning to look back out to sea.

"What have you learned of the Light so far?" Aqua asked further.

Kairi blushed at the thought of her nearly disastrous first day. "Nothing much, yet. Queen Minnie's starting me out with the 'Pearl' spell, but I can't seem to get a hold of my Light long enough to do anything." Aqua smiled in sympathy, memories of her own training rising up.

"Would you care for some advice?" she asked. It was only fair; she had inadvertently Chosen this girl. Kairi leaning toward her, eyes wide, was answer enough. "It's not like regular magic. You can't really … force it. You have to let it come to you. Your Light is a part of you in a way magic is not. It comes from your heart." She placed her palm over her chest to illustrate. "Your heart will never lead you astray, Kairi. So trust in your heart, and in the Light. And it will come to you."

Kairi glanced down as she committed these words to memory. "Thank you, Master Aqua," she said.

"You're very welcome, Kairi," she replied. The silence that settled on them was gentler now, more friendly than suffocating.

"Master Aqua?" Kairi asked. Aqua hummed in response, showing she had heard. "Could you tell me about your friends, Terra and Ventus?" Aqua turned bodily to face Kairi, here eyes wide and body stiff with ire. But just as quickly as it happened, before Kairi even had a chance to flinch, she relaxed again.

"What do you want to know?" she answered quietly, almost whispering.

"What were they like?" Kairi asked. "If they were anything like Sora and Riku, they probably drove you crazy." Her wide smile showed she was joking, and it drew a faint smile from Aqua in turn.

"I met your friends once," she revealed. "And I remember thinking how similar they were to my friends. Terra had passed his power on to Riku, just as I did you." Well, he probably did it on purpose, but the principle was the same. "And Sora, I felt like he and Ven could have been brothers. Had I not known better, I would have believed it without hesitation." Aqua looked out over the water as she became lost in her thoughts.

"Terra was … strong. He was determined and hard-working, and so, so stubborn. He put everything he had into everything that he did, even if he didn't like it. Training, chores, cooking, you name it." Another tear. "He was my first friend, my partner from the time Master Eraqus took me in as an apprentice." She chuckled. "Terra always like to put up a stoic front, but he was a giant softie underneath it all."

"Ven … their drive for training aside, he couldn't have been more different. Ven was loud and energetic, always moving. I swear he was incapable of staying still for more than three minutes. Except when he slept, then he slept like a rock. And it would have been easier to wake a rock up. He was like the baby brother I never had." Another tear.

Kairi swallowed thickly at Aqua's story, her eyes shining. This woman had been through so much … it made her own problems look childish in comparison. Yen Sid had once cautioned her against comparing suffering, stressing that all suffering was relative and unique, something to be overcome rather than to fight over. But at least she knew, deep down, that her friends were alright. Aqua had no such assurance.

"What happened?" Kairi gasped and covered her mouth, that sentence meant to be silent.

If possible, Aqua grew even more solemn. "Ven shattered his heart to vanquish a great evil and his body was lost to slumber. I hid it away in hopes that I could find his heart and return it … but I can't while I'm here. And Terra … I think he's had it worst of all. From what I can gather, Xehanort did something to him. Took him over somehow. He-" Aqua cut herself off, face twisted with sorrow. "I don't want to talk about it anymore," she whispered.

Kairi wept freely for her first Master, unashamed of it. It was all she could do, really. "I will get you out of here," Kairi said.

Aqua glanced toward her to find empty air. Not even an impression in the sand where she had been sitting. She was alone again. And yet, even so, she felt lighter than she had in far too long.

Aqua drew back her feet from the water and replaced her boots, the ache in her feet a distant memory. And for the first time since she had come to this place, she did something that had driven Ven crazy, even as Terra and the Master endured it.

She quietly sang a wordless tune - Solemn, but hopeful. Fitting for her mood.

* * *

Kairi groaned as she began to wake up, her body still aching from her training. A faintly glowing sandglass showed that she needn't meet Minnie for breakfast for a few more hours. And yet, she had a feeling trying to get anymore sleep would be pointless. Now determined to start the day, Kairi quickly dressed in a flannel shirt and denim pants from back home to wander the castle halls.

After some time, Kairi noticed the windows around her begin to brighten as the dawn approached. With a start, she realized she was standing before the giant faux-doors of the throne room. An idea sprung to mind and, without thinking about it, she knocked on the right-hand door, causing it to separate and let her in. A quickly-conjured ball of lavender light allowed her to navigate herself to the thrones, and a search of the armrests revealed the switch to move them aside.

Kairi descended the steps to the Hall of the Cornerstone, dismissing her light source as she approached the radiance of the hall's single occupant. Kairi placed a hand on the crystalline surface of the great artifact, her gaze drawn to it like a kindred spirit. She wondered about the great sphere's origins. Who could have made something like this? And how?

As she continued to gaze into the Light of the Cornerstone, Kairi's thoughts wandered to Aqua's advice. She couldn't force it - she just had to trust in it. Kairi smiled as she thought about Sora, about his carefree nature. No doubt he hadn't tried to force anything. He had just let it happen.

With a deep breath, Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace. 'May our hearts be our guiding key,' she thought. Yen Sid had said that a few times during her training, but she hadn't really understood. Perhaps this was what he meant. Determination and drive were all well and good, but even more important was trust. No, more important was _faith_. Faith that things would all turn out right, that it would be better tomorrow than yesterday. That everything they did _meant_ something.

Kairi turned and left the Hall, emerging into the Audience Chamber, the throne platform closing back into place behind her. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to relax, to gently search out the Light inside. Unbeknownst to her, her body began to shine with a faint golden glow.

In her mind's eye, she pictured Ansem, the dreaded Seeker of Darkness. Everything from his mane of white hair to his sickly amber eyes, glinting with equal cunning and madness. And most of all, that arrogant sneer he had worn before Riku had stopped him from hurting her.

Anger tried to rise in her heart, but she tamped it down. Ansem was gone, destroyed by the Light of Kingdom Hearts. As Yen Sid had revealed. But the threat that he represented, the chaos that threatened to destroy all worlds, was still very much real. Minnie said that Darkness was not evil, and maybe she was right. But it was still the opposite of her, and in the now it empowered the very forces that threatened her and her friends.

Guided by the glow within her, Kairi gently prodded it to take shape in her palm, just as she had seen Minnie do. And unlike before, where it had escaped her grasp or refused to cooperate, the Light seemed almost eager to act. She felt it coalesce into a sphere of radiance and opened her eyes to find herself holding a ball of golden Light, bigger than her closed fist.

With a surge of joy, she flexed her fingers, sending the Pearl racing around the grand chamber. The Pearl raced away before gently curving around to return to her, and with a precise swing of her Keyblade, she struck it out of the air to explode into glittering golden motes.

Kairi smiled widely before stumbling to her knees, falling on her Keyblade for support. Seems she'd still need a lot of practice to be able to use that for real. Slowly pushing herself upright, Kairi slung her Keyblade over her shoulder and left the Audience Chamber to try and make her way to the dining hall.

And after training today, maybe she'd go out and explore the town again.

 **And so Kairi learns about the Light. What did y'all think? Leave a review, tell me how I'm doing!**

 **I had originally meant for this to be a lot different, but inspiration guided me into this.**

 ***Kairi contacting Aqua in her sleep was inspired by Terra and Ven's appearances in _2.8 - A Fragmented Passage._**

 ***Neither Kairi nor Minnie know that she has already touched her Light for the first time - when she brought Sora back from the cusp of Darkness. Now she just has to learn to tap into it willingly.**

 ***Kairi brushing her light by thinking of Sora was inspired by the end of CoM. Kairi is Sora's light within the darkness, it would only make sense that he in turn is her own.**

 ***Minnie's speech about learning about the Balance is based on CoM-Reverse/Rebirth. Mickey explains to Riku that he showed that Darkness is not inherently evil. And in KHII, Minnie mentioned that Mickey sends her letters. I have no doubt that he tells her everything. And Minnie is clearly smart - she can come to her own conclusions given the right information.**

 ***Kairi's views on Light, at this point, are similar to Aqua's in BBS. She has seen nothing but destruction come from it, spearheaded by "Ansem"/Xehanort's Heartless. And she hasn't seen what Riku can do.**

 ***My idea of the Light responding to faith and trust was partly inspired by Sora himself. He determinedly trusts the people around him, and it serves as his greatest strength. I can easily imagine him picking up the powers of Light without being taught (or perhaps gently nudged by Ventus's heart) because trusting in something, even something he doesn't understand, just comes so naturally. Plus, Sora's first "Light" power in KHI was learned after defeating Captain Hook - e.g. after he had learned to fly and learned that Kairi had been found. I think it gave a boost to his morale and let him first harness his own Light.**

 **On a side note, anyone have ideas of where the Cornerstone of Light came from? Not necessarily for this story (though I wouldn't complain about it), but in general. That's one powerful artifact, even if it's not entirely foolproof. Leave your thoughts on that in a review or PM me.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

After the first week, Queen Minnie had had to get back to her regular duties. This cut into the hours Kairi could have used learning new powers of the Light, but she wasn't selfish enough to demand more of the Queen's focus. If anything, she was grateful that Minnie had taken such a long time to give her a strong foundation.

Of course, that had been just over another two weeks ago. In that time, Kairi had been slowly developing her power. She went to bed far less exhausted now, though she couldn't escape the fatigue completely. But given the fact that she had been training for nearly eight hours a day, using slivers of her very essence as fuel, she was more than happy.

Logically, she wouldn't enter a battle that lasted eight hours. At least, she hoped not.

Thankfully, Minnie was available to give her advice in the early morning and in the evening. Most of these sessions she spent teaching theory, her practical skills (mostly in swordplay) too undeveloped to demonstrate.

In addition to 'Pearl', which had rapidly become her favorite non-magical skill, Kairi had learned the power of 'Faith'. This one had taken a lot shorter to learn, as Minnie had helped guide her through it. After several days of guided practice, Kairi had figured out how to execute the explosion of Light on her own. It was weaker than using it with Minnie, but it was still formidable.

In addition, Kairi had been experimenting to master the techniques she recalled from Sora's adventure. Minnie had allowed this on the condition that she be careful not to strain herself. In her words, "a weakened heart is a most dangerous thing".

Over the course of her personal practice, Kairi had figured out how to sheathe her Keyblade in Light. It may have only lasted for a few moments, but it was still something. And firing arrows of Light from her Keyblade was always awe-inspiring.

Kairi tried to focus on those thoughts as she prepared herself to demonstrate the fruits of her labor. Three weeks, a little more actually, had apparently been deemed long enough for her to master the basics. Yen Sid had arrived that morning and requested to see what she had learned. And so she stood, in the middle of one of Disney Castle's courtyards, with Yen Sid and Queen Minnie ready to see what she had learned.

With a flick of his wrist, Yen Sid conjured a series of six whirlwinds that sucked up dust from the ground, before hardening into humanoid golems with glowing blue eyes. Kairi summoned her Keyblade and prepared herself.

With a twitching lunge, one leapt to attack her. "Fly!" Kairi shouted, a golden Pearl lancing from her outstretched palm to strike at her assailant. The Pearl lashed through it and continued to fly, striking at its companions. Kairi spun out of the first golem's path and slashed with her Keyblade, slicing it cleanly in half at the waist.

'Oops,' she thought. She was supposed to be showing her new skills. But, at least her swordplay had become instinctive now. As a pair of golems rushed forward, Kairi sheathed her Keyblade in Light and fell into a smooth, hard-practiced sequence of slashes, leaving the pair in pieces.

The final three all leapt at her together, each from a different direction. "Light!" Kairi spun into the air, a pillar of Light exploding to knock the golems back. A quick Pearl finished off one, and a glowing strike another. For the last, she cartwheeled away to get some room and charged her Keyblade, willing Light to focus there. With a jump, she fired off the accumulated Light, a rain of glowing arrows shredding her final target.

Kairi landed with easy grace, her breathing hardly labored, and approached her Master to stand at attention.

"I must commend both of your teaching skills, Queen Minnie," Yen Sid said. "You have done well in instructing my apprentice."

"Thank you, Master Sid," she replied.

"And well done to you as well, Kairi," he added with a nod. Kairi merely nodded in return, her Keyblade resting on her shoulder. "Your instruction will continue in this area, along with furthering your physical skills and your magic. For now, gather your things. We will return to the Tower within the hour."

"Yes, Master," Kairi answered. With a brief sigh, she headed back to the castle to pack up. As she moved out of earshot, Minnie spoke up.

"I'm going to miss having Kairi around," she admitted. "I've heard so much about Sora and Riku in Mickey's letters. It was nice to meet the friend who motivates them so." She smiled. "And it was an honor to contribute to the budding of a soon-to-be great Keybearer."

"True enough," Yen Sid complied. "But don't let her catch you saying that. In my experience, apprentices have an unfortunate habit of becoming overconfident. And that only feeds their unvarying recklessness."

Minnie bit her tongue at the indirect comment on her husband, admitting to herself that the old sorcerer's comment held a large bit of truth.

True to his word, Kairi stood in the garden where she had first arrived in Disney Castle less than an hour later. After a heartfelt goodbye to Minnie, as well as eliciting a promise to give her goodbyes to Horace Horsecollar, Kairi followed Yen Sid through one of his Doors.

The pair emerged onto the small path that led to the familiar crooked stone tower, just as Kairi remembered. Kairi smiled at the imposing building. It wasn't home, per se, but it was more than just a building by now. Brushing those thoughts aside, she followed Yen Sid to the tower to begin unpacking.

* * *

Kairi resumed her more typical training the next day, with Yen Sid's promised addition of honing her skill with the Light. Beyond this, he began to give her new tasks, such as protecting a dummy from conjured enemies, locating target objects before they were found by spectral hounds, and escorting a target through obstacles without letting it come to harm. And through it all, when he wasn't verbally instructing her, he would watch her like a hawk. It was almost as if … he were waiting for something.

Two more weeks passed this way, until Kairi was summoned the Yen Sid's office. As she stood at attention, Yen Sid began to speak. "I must commend your performance these last months," Yen Sid said. "Your dedication has been admirable and your skills continue to grow. Given this, I have decided to assign you another Trial."

Kairi perked up upon hearing this. How long had it been since she had Sealed the Dwarf Woodlands Keyhole? Well over a month, at least.

"I have divined a dark force settled upon another world home to a Princess of Heart. Your task is to locate this threat, neutralize it, and Seal the world's Keyhole. And as before, you are forbidden from mentioning Sora or his friends." Yen Sid waved his hand, and a thin pillar of light formed on his desk, fading away to reveal a strange-looking silvery gem.

"This is a Star Shard, a unique object similar in origin to a gummi block. It has the power to transport the user between worlds." He snapped his fingers, and the Star Shard glowed faintly blue for a moment. "You will use this to journey to your destination and, upon completing your Trials, to return here."

Kairi picked up the Star Shard and placed it in her pocket. "So, when should I go?" she asked.

"Immediately," he replied.

* * *

After packing a bag of provisions, Kairi stood at the lip of Yen Sid's isle, staring down at the Star Shard. The artifact appeared to be made of some kind of silvery-blue crystal, elegantly shaped into four fifths of a star. The fifth point was different, colored yellow-green and in a shape reminiscent of a bolt of lightning. The interior of the shard held another star shape, its color matching the fifth point and eclipsed by a circle.

Kairi looked up into the void of Interspace and held up the Star Shard. She squeezed the gem, focusing her will into it as if she were working magic. She stood like this for several moments before relaxing with a sigh. "What? No instructions?" she asked outloud. If it had been anyone else who gave her this, she would have wondered if it were a joke. But Yen Sid didn't joke about Keybearer business.

Kairi held the gem out to space again, focusing as hard as she could. She began to tremble, her face turning red with the attempt to awaken the Shard. After another minute, she gasped and stumbled back. The blood rushed to her head and she shook off the dizziness that came with it.

Kairi sighed and decided to swallow her pride and ask Yen Sid for help. But before she could take a step, she yelped as the Shard burst into silvery-white light that seemed to envelope her. An unbelievable force jerked the Shard upward, her fingers welded shut around it. Kairi screamed as she was flung through the space between the worlds, her path disjointed and crooked.

After what felt like an instant and an eternity all at once, Kairi landed - rather forcefully - and the silvery glow around her susbsided. She groaned as she mentally checked herself for injury. Soreness, but little else. 'Thank the stars for small miracles,' she thought dryly.

Kairi shakily climbed to her feet, tucking the Star Shard into the satchel at her side. It may be uncooperative and crazy, but it was her only way back. Kairi turned in place to get her bearings - and paused at the sight before her.

A magnificent white castle, somewhat like Disney Castle, rose above her. The white walls glistened in the sun. Even as she watched, a clock in one of the towers sounded the local hour. Kairi herself stood in a large courtyard before the castle itself, between a fountain-like basin of water and a massive set of steps that led to the castle's entrance. Quickly checking for anyone around her, she quickly scaled the large steps to the entrance, only to stop in her tracks just inside the doors.

This place was beautiful! The granite flooring was scrubbed to shine like a mirror, the marble walls shining faintly pink. The ceiling soared above, covered with lovely murals. A grand staircase stretched to what she could only assume was a magnificent ballroom.

Kairi was about to begin climbing the steps … when she felt a familiar sense of unease, like a vile force squeezing her heart. Darkness was near. Acting on intuition, Kairi darted for a side corridor to follow the sense. If something was threatening this place, whether it was the threat Yen Sid had mentioned or not, it was her duty to stop it.

Kairi moved like a doe, guided through the complex hallways only by her sense for the Darkness. As she continued to move, the pressure on her heart grew slowly stronger - and so did her sense of its direction. She pushed on, refusing to let the sense of dread get to her.

Finally, the feeling spiked as she ran through the entrance of a castle garden. Men in uniforms, likely castle guards, lay spread out across the grass. Heartless, mostly Soldiers interspersed with Gargoyles surrounded a young woman in a simple dress and apron, her strawberry-blonde hair tied back in a handkerchief. And just as she had with Snow White, Kairi felt a sense of deja vu, like she had known this woman her whole life.

With a start, Kairi realized that the sense of Darkness wasn't emanating from the Heartless. It came from a shadowy figure standing before the young woman, its back to Kairi. With utter certainty, Kairi knew what to do. She summoned Destiny's Embrace and charged, her Keyblade glowing as she flew through combination after combination, leaving no Heartless in her path untouched.

As she cleared the way to the woman and leapt to reach her, the shadowy figure turned to look at her. All Kairi saw was a pair of cold light-green eyes as the figure dispersed into black mist. Kairi landed next to the woman and took her hand. Acting on her training with Queen Minnie, Kairi wove their Lights together. And in an exploding pillar of Light, the remaining Heartless were destroyed.

Kairi cast her gaze around the garden for any stragglers, adrenaline pumping. With a heavy sigh of relief, she turned to the woman. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I am," the woman replied with a smile. And at the sight of that soft smile, Kairi remembered where she had seen this woman before. The simple clothes she now wore in place of that elaborate white ballgown had thrown her off, but it was definitely her. The second figure from her Dive to the Heart.

Oblivious to Kairi's revelation, the woman glanced at Kairi's Keyblade with an air of nostalgia. "It's been a long time since I've seen one of those," she said. It's been since-" she cut herself off and shook her head. "No, it- Hmmm, it _has_ been a long time." The woman looked up to meet Kairi's gaze and offered her hand to shake. "Cinderella," she introduced.

Kairi smiled and shook back. "Kairi."

"Kairi?" Cinderella asked. "Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you. Officially, at least. Sor-" she paused again, fingers rising to her temple as if warding off a headache, "someone talked about you back at Hollow Bastion." Cinderella blinked again, seeming to brush away the thought. "I didn't think I'd see any of you again."

"Well, now you have," Kairi laughed, before becoming serious. "Cinderella, what was that thing? I've never seen anything like it."

Cinderella's smile fell, the joy in her eyes replaced by dread. "I'm not sure _what_ it was," she admitted, "but it looked like my stepmother." A groan caught their attention, one of the fallen guards coming to. "Oh, dear. I almost forgot." She turned to Kairi. "Give me a moment to help these men and I'll tell you what I know." She gave another faint smile. "Knowing what a Keyblade means, I'm sure you're here for a reason."

Kairi smiled and lifted Destiny's Embrace, casting a wide Cure spell. "There. They'll be fine when they wake up. Just tell one of them to explain it to the others and we can go compare notes.

* * *

As the sun began to fall in the sky, it looked down upon Cinderella leading Kairi through the small city that hugged the castle. The pair were headed to her childhood home, where Cinderella was certain the entity from before would appear again.

As they kept moving, Kairi thought back on how they had arrived at this point.

After briefing the guards, and weathering their apologies for failing to protect Cinderella and their thanks to Kairi for protecting their princess, Cinderella led them to her private rooms to talk.

And so Cinderella told her story. Everything from her loving parents, to her mother dying and her father remarrying, to her father's death, as well. She explained, in detached detail, how she had been treated by Lady Tremaine and her two daughters for so many years. As she continued to describe her past, Kairi couldn't help a queasy feeling in her belly. What kind of monster could do this to a child?

Cinderella continued her tale up to the night she met her fiance. She smiled fondly at the memory of the ball that night, and the help she had gotten from her fairy godmother and three strangers. Before she could describe them, Kairi had a feeling she knew who they were. How many worlds _had_ those three visited before everything went wrong?

Finally, she described the monstrous creature that had attacked her, summoned by Lady Tremaine's hatred. But the plan had backfired, resulting in the deaths of all three of her remaining family. The woman with blue hair (yep, had to be Master Aqua) defeated the creature and helped reunite her with the prince. It was about a year after that that Maleficent had led the Darkness to overtake her world.

Kairi hummed in thought as she processed Cinderella's story. "And that ... thing looked like your stepmother?" Kairi asked.

Cinderella nodded, her expression a stoic mask. "I remember the woman with blue hair saying something about 'the Darkness overtaking them'," she said. "I assumed she meant that their dark deeds had come back to haunt them." Cinderella looked away as she thought over her next words. "But … what I know about the Heartless, now I think she may have been speaking literally."

That would make a lot of sense. If Lady Tremaine had been as full of envy as Cinderella described, it would have been a perfect feeding ground for the Darkness in her heart.

"Is this the first time you've seen this thing?" Kair asked.

Cinderella shook her head. "Ever since the worlds were restored, strange things have been happening." She spoke about accidents that had been happening around her, in which she had avoided injury by a hair's breadth. Servants losing control of heavy burdens, ceramic dishes shattering for no reason, and even a piece of masonry breaking away to crash within an inch of her.

"And these 'accidents' have only gotten worse. Several servants have been hurt, and Charming had even offered a group of guards as a protective escort. She hadn't cared for the idea herself, but had agreed for his sake. These were the men that had been scattered around the castle garden when she met Kairi, flung through the air by the power of this shadow that took the shape of Lady Tremaine.

"Do you have any idea where this … ghost could be?" Kairi asked. Cinderella hadn't even hesitated before she nodded.

Kairi was brought out of her thoughts by Cinderella's hand on her shoulder. They had arrived. They stood facing the wrought-iron gate of a walled in stone manor. The chateau, as Cinderella had called it, appeared as if it had been quite lovely at its peak. But time and neglect had worn away at its beauty.

And even beyond the state of the chateau itself, there was something deeper that put her on edge. A sense of … sorrow, covered by quite hatred. The oppressing sense of Darkness emanated from this manor, like a festering wound. A quick glance at Cinderella and her pale complexion showed she felt much the same - in fact, considering this had been her childhood home and the site of so much abuse, it was probably even worse.

"Say behind me," Kairi whispered. She summoned her Keyblade and held it up to the gate. A thin beam of light flew from the end and into the gate's lock, unsealing the gate. Kairi eased the gate open, gritting her teeth at the rusty squeal, and led the way toward the manor.

As they neared the house, Kairi paused at the pressure of Cinderella's hand on her shoulder. She lifted a finger to her lips, indicating silence, and motioned for Kairi to follow. With no other ideas, Kairi fell in step behind her fellow Princess.

Cinderella led them around the interior of the manor wall, keeping as far from the chateau itself as possible. Until they arrived at what had at one point been a garden for the manor. Both Princesses stopped at the sight of the cracked fountain that acted as the centerpiece of the garden.

Where there had once been water, the fountain bubbled forth a thick purple-black ooze that poured into the basin, faint fumes rising from the miasma that resulted. Even as they watched, the tar-like sludge began to bubble more fiercely, and Kairi took a step back as a wave of cold _terror_ washed over them. Cinderella clutched at Kairi's arm, nearly hyperventilating even as she visibly fought to remain brave.

Kairi growled as a bunch of Shadows emerged from the ground, surrounding them in a loose circle. "Cinderella, do you trust me?" she asked.

"Of course," she responded. Without a word, Kairi moved her wrist to entwine their fingers, diving deep for her inner Light. Cinderella's own Light responded in kind, just as Queen Minnie had taught her, and the duo floated of the ground as a halo of Light surrounded them.

"Come on!" Kairi shouted, and the halo exploded to vaporize the Shadows. Kairi landed on the balls of her feet and stabilized Cinderella. Though, it didn't seem as if she needed it. The act of casting Faith seemed to have revitalized her, banished the alien wave of fear.

"Impudent child!" The words emanated from the fountain, the substance inside bubbling even more fiercely than before. Kairi nudged Cinderella behind her, leveling Destiny's Embrace in a fighting stance. "Why won't you just die?!"

And from the fountain emerged the ghost, just as Cinderella had described. Its colors were muted, tainted by the black-purple of Darkness, but it was clearly Lady Tremaine. The burning hatred in her light-green eyes was unmistakable.

"If my pets cannot destroy you," the ghost said, "I'll just have to do it myself!" And at her words, the fountain exploded. The miasma washed over the ghost and began to swell, like a blackened sore. In a matter of moments, the welt ruptured to reveal a towering Heartless.

The Heartless resembled a massive rat, a vile crown of obsidian twisted around its temples. Two pairs of sinuous forelegs tore at the ground, scraping at the dirt with scythe-like black claws. A pair of back legs were tensed and ready to charge, and its serpentine black tail was capped with two more smaller heads that shrieked and spat at them. And to top it off, a pair of small wings extended from its back. The Heartless gazed at them with hate-filled eyes, the sludge from the fountain dripping from its jagged fangs.

Without preamble, the Heartless hissed and leapt at them. But Kairi's spellcasting was quicker, and she erected a Barrier than sent the Heartless flying away. As the Heartless shook its head, Kairi followed up with Fira, Blizzara, and Thundra. Each spell drew a pained hiss from the creature, and it sprung into the air on its feathered wings.

Kairi cast a series of Thundra spells to knock the Heartless out of the air, growling to herself when they all missed their mark. How could something with wings so small fly with such agility? Then again, she recalled an entry in her Bestiary about "Invisibles", who could fly with similarly small wings. Maybe Heartless just weren't as subject to physics as other things.

Kairi brushed aside her thoughts as the Heartless once again drew nearer, spinning in a barrel roll. Kairi braced herself as glowing orange spheres flew from it, raining down upon the garden with frightening accuracy. Kairi grabbed Cinderella and drew her closer before erecting another Barrier. As the spheres fell upon the ground or her shield, they exploded with violent force.

As the explosions tapered off, Kairi lowered her Barrier and began to think. There was no way she could win this thing if the Heartless kept its wings. It would just wear them down before it came in to finish the job. None of her traditional spells could bring it down, which only left her Light. Kairi prepared to conjure a Pearl, or three, when she turned to face a feminine voice shouting at top volume.

"Tremaine!" Cinderella shouted, waving her arms. When had she moved away from Kairi to cross the garden?! "You wanted me, I'm right here! Do your worst!"

Kairi stared for a solid three seconds before darting to cover her. She had to admit, Cinderella had guts to challenge a unique (and therefore more powerful) Heartless straight to its face. Kairi barely had time to grab Cinderella's wrist and haul her out of the way before the Heartless came crashing down to destroy her.

"Thunder!" Kairi shouted, pouring all the magic she could into her spell to stun the Heartless. Without pause, she harnessed her light and charged her Keyblade with its power. With a cry of exultation, she fired off a vortex of shining arrows to shred the Heartless's wings.

One problem solved.

Her relief was short lived as the Heartless hissed and lashed out with its tail, knocking Kairi across the garden. She groaned as she lunged to her feet, Yen Sid's words on being knocked down in a fight ringing in her ears along with the more simple ringing of violence.

Kairi yelped and cartwheel to the side to avoid the Heartless's follow-up, which smashed a hole into the chateau's wall. Kairi capitalized on the impact stunning the creature and dove into an Ars Arcanum, feeling her blazing Keyblade burn away at its dark essence.

But rather than be intimidated by her attack, the creature seemed only angrier. With lightning speed, it knocked her to the ground. Before she could get up, the Heartless crashed back down, its claws digging into her shoulders and ripping a cry of pain from her throat.

The Heartless rose again to its back legs, growling in fury. Kairi lifted her Keyblade, acting on survival instinct, and waited for the inevitable. But before she felt the pain of its attack, Kairi was jerked away with a yelp of surprise. She rolled across the dirt and to a stop, barely catching the leafy vine that released her ankle and retreated to a barren vegetable garden.

Kairi could spare it no more thought as Cinderella appeared and jerker her to her feet to drag her back toward the chateau. "What are you doing?" Kairi shouted.

"Just trust me!" Cinderella shouted back. She didn't stop until they were long past the chateau's entrance gate, the castle visible in the distance. But rather than continue running toward it, Cinderella stopped in her tracks and turned to face the direction they had come from. She turned to regard Kairi, her eyes steely with determination. "Can you make that burst of Light again?" She asked.

"What?" Kairi asked, utterly baffled.

"The burst?! Can you do that again?" Cinderella said, surprisingly calm.

The sounds of the Heartless crashing into the yard interrupted them, the vile beast shaking itself off before charging at them. But before it could make contact, the Heartless crashed into an invisible force to stop in its tracks. It snarled at them and tried again, but the force pushed it back a few steps.

Kairi stared at Cinderella with awe. The Princess held her arms before her, palms out to face the Heartless. Her body shone with faint white Light, even as sweat beaded her forehead. Yen Sid had mentioned that the Princesses had held back a wave of Darkness before Sora had Sealed the Final Keyhole, but actually _seeing_ it happen was something else.

But Cinderella couldn't keep this up forever. Kairi armed her Keyblade and fired off a series of Pearls to knock the Heartless off-balance and enrage it further. "Get ready," she warned.

As the Heartless roared and gave one final lunge, Cinderella dropped her focus and clasped hands with Kairi. "Light!" they shouted together, and a wave of white power exploded from them. The Heartless was knocked bodily into the air, its physical form dissolving like ink in water. It landed with a thud and bounced a few times.

The creature dug its claws into the ground to halt its momentum, mindlessly focused on destroying Cinderella and the Keybearer. Its ear twitched at a terrifying sound and it looked up to see Kairi coming down, her Keyblade shining as she sung a fearsome battlecry. With a final stroke of the Keyblade, the Heartless wailed in defeat and it body dissolved away to release a shining heart. The heart rose into the air and disappeared without a trace.

Kairi waited a moment, nerves still taut, for anything else to happen. When nothing did, she collapsed to her knees. Panting with leftover adrenaline, she cast Cure over herself and tried to rise to her feet. Kairi blanched as Cinderella appeared and took her by the elbow to help her up.

"It's over," Cinderella said. And Kairi couldn't help but think she was right. The malevolent presence that seemed to hover over the chateau was gone.

"What I don't understand is what that thing was before it was a Heartless," Kairi said.

"Perhaps I can help with that," a new voice proclaimed. Blue flecks of magic appeared across the clearing, moving to congregate before them. With a final blaze of blue light, a familiar figure appeared before them.

"Fairy Godmother!" Cinderella greeted, diving into the fairy's arms.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, dear," the Godmother said. "And you performed so admirably against that Heartless. I couldn't be more proud." She glanced at Kairi, her smile not wavering at all. "And it's good to see you, too, Miss Kairi."

Kairi smiled as she recalled her first meeting with the fairy before her. After Sora had departed for Hollow Bastion, Kairi had decided to explore Traverse Town. Naturally, she had stumbled upon Merlin's house at some point. The wizard himself had been gone, but the Fairy Godmother had appeared to help sooth her nerves. "It's nice to see you, Mrs. Godmother," Kairi replied.

* * *

The setting sun found Kairi and Cinderella back in the castle, the Fairy Godmother explaining what she could. This "ghost" of Lady Tremaine had been a manifestation of her lingering Darkness. According to the Godmother, while Lady Tremaine's daughters had indeed been killed by the Cursed Carriage, which Cinderella had explained in her own story, Tremaine herself had not. The wicked stepmother had succumbed to her Darkness and become a Heartless. The Carriage's bomb had merely dispersed her essence, just as all weapons did if they were not a Keyblade.

With the world being overtaken by Darkness by Maleficent, Tremaine's Darkness had been put into a unique state of limbo. The world being plunged into the Dark Realm had allowed her to remain strong, to even retain some sense of her intellect. But without Cinderella as a focus of her hatred, that intellect had been left groundless, aimless.

Of course, with the return of the world from the Realm of Darkness after Ansem's defeat, Tremaine had reclaimed the focus of her hate. The "accidents' that had been plaguing Cinderella and those around her had been caused by Tremaine's ghost, her scattered form only allowing her the weakest meddling with events.

It was only recently that Tremaine had finally begun to reclaim any measure of her full power. The attack with Heartless had been Tremaine's first direct assault, and of course had been thwarted by Kairi's timely arrival.

"What would have happened if we hadn't taken the fight to her?' Kairi asked.

"She would have simply gathered her power again and kept trying to hurt dear Cinderella," the Fairy Godmother replied. "You of all people know how driven the Heartless can be, young Kairi." Kairi nodded at the point - she did know. The Fairy Godmother chuckled matronly and waved the topic off. "But that's no longer important. The Lady Tremaine is gone, for good this time. And, if I haven't missed my guess, you have one more task ahead of you in this place."

Kairi stood up as she remembered her final mission - the Keyhole. "Do you-?"

"Yes, Kairi, I know where it is." The Fairy Godmother stood up and looked to Cinderella. "Would you care to join us, Cinderella? The Sealing of a Keyhole is, I hear, quite the unique experience."

Less than ten minutes later, the Fairy godmother had led the pair to the grand ballroom of the castle. Before Kairi could ask why, Destiny's Embrace appeared in her grasp. The Keyblade shimmered, silently searching for the nearby Keyhole. The servants and denizens of the castle in the ballroom gasped and moved away from its center as the Keyhole appeared, a great outline on the ballroom floor.

Thinking quickly, Kairi lifted her Keyblade up to point at the great chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. Motes of Light gathered and came together in a familiar thin beam that struck the chandelier and scattered, falling to enter the outline of the Keyhole. The tell-tale _click_ of the Sealing resounded through the ballroom, and it faded away. Only a neat etching in its shape showed it had ever been there at all.

"You know," Kairi said, "that never gets old."

Kairi grunted as Cinderella wrapped her in a sudden hug before returning the embrace. "Thank you, Kairi," she whispered. "For everything." Cinderella pulled away with a warm smile. "You're always welcome here."

"Thanks, Cinderella," Kairi replied. Before she could say more, all three of them jumped at a sudden flare of light from Kairi's bag. Without time for goodbyes, the light grew and Kairi was whisked off by the power of the Star Shard.

 **Another chapter, another Princess, another adventure. What'd y'all think? Leave a review - they help me keep going.**

 ***Lady Tremaine's "ghost" was inspired by Scar in KH2, with a few changes for originality.**

 ***The Castle of Dreams Keyhole was partly inspired by that of Halloween Town. I always liked that one, and the ballroom for location just made sense to me.**

 ***The idea that Kairi had previously met the Fairy godmother in Traverse Town came to me while writing this chapter. We know little to nothing about what she experienced while Sora was off sealing the Final Keyhole and battling Ansem-the-Seeker. Personally, I think it is a heartwarming thought.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

In his crooked tower, Master Yen Sid observed Kairi's progress upon the Castle of Dreams world. His expression, that of his usual stern calmness, only wavered upon the appearance of the phantasm. Such entities, hearts consumed by Darkness and kept from dissolving into a standard Heartless by sheer hate-fueled force of will, were exceedingly rare. The fact that Kairi had defeated such a creature, even with help, was quite an achievement.

As his scrying cloud blazed with the white glow of the Star Shard, Yen Sid swiped his arm through and dispersed it. He stood from his high-backed wooden chair and approached his window to examine the stars. The worlds had been quietly uneasy for several weeks, whispering of a "puppet" who wielded a Keyblade. He wasn't sure what to make of such whispers, but he knew it had something to do with the Organization.

With a faint hum of thought, Yen Sid crossed back to his desk and conjured another scrying cloud. With practiced ease, he worked the magic necessary for locating a Keybearer and focused it toward the young Sora. And, as it had the half-dozen times he had tried this before, the spell resulted in the magical equivalent of electronic static.

Yen Sid growled faintly, hand brushing his beard in thought. He was a patient man by nature; one had to be to attain the measure of magical expertise that he possessed. But he also knew that the precarious equilibrium that had settled over the Organization and its efforts would not last forever.

He briefly considered contacting the wizard Merlin for a second opinion, but decided against it. Yen Sid respected Merlin, but he felt that asking for a prophecy (which Merlin didn't care for) on nothing but a sense of intuition might be asking a bit much. Besides that, Merlin's eccentricities could be rather … exhausting.

Brushing that thought aside, Yen Sid once again conjured a scrying cloud, this one to locate his apprentice. Yen Sid's eyes narrowed as the cloud finished forming, revealing an elaborate image of the heavens. Kairi's silvery form could be seen darting through the skies, the auras of familiar worlds passing her by.

After a few more minutes of tracing her path, Yen Sid once again dispersed the cloud and left his office. As he descended the steps of his tower, he considered the next phase of Kairi's training.

As Yen Sid passed through the door to the tower, he didn't even flinch at the sudden peal of bright light that crashed into the ground before him. The light faded away to reveal Kairi, groaning in pain with the Star Shard clutched in her hand.

"So, did you enjoy yourself?" Yen Sid asked neutrally.

He barely held back a snicker at the glare that was leveled at him.

* * *

In the Round Room of the Castle That Never Was, a pillar of Darkness arose and faded away to reveal the second-in-command of the Organization. The figure pushed back the hood of his coat to reveal an angular, pale face, an x-shaped scar crossed between his golden eyes.

"Your report, Saix," the Superior ordered, his cowl remaining unmoved.

"It has happened again," Saix revealed. "Another incident on a world to hold one of the Princesses. A miasma of Darkness had hovered over that world, apparently independent of Heartless. Xigbar reported no unusual Heartless activity in the area, but less than a day ago, the miasma vanished."

"And an accompanying burst of light?" the Superior asked.

"The Dusks reported a pair of great surges that dispelled the Darkness, similar in power to the meddlesome King. But the Dusks reported no trace of him on that world."

"Not that they have had any progress tracking him down," the Superior noted. And as if mere Dusks stood the barest chance against him if they could. "Send Xigbar and Xaldin to investigate," he ordered. "If anyone can find the cause, they can."

"By your leave, Lord Xemnas," Saix replied, vanishing again into a Dark Corridor.

After Saix had left to fulfill his orders, Xemnas pondered the latest "incident". Both events had occurred on worlds that held a Pure Heart of Light. One time could be written off as coincidence, but the latest event implied a causal link. Something, or someone, was acting to protect the Princesses from the Heartless.

Xemnas, personally, had no interest in the Princesses. He was, of course, aware of the actions of his Heartless to collect them and open the Door to the Innermost Darkness, and thereby harness the power of Kingdom Hearts. And the so-named "Ansem" had failed, beaten by a mere child. No … there was nothing "mere" about that child.

Xemnas drummed his fingers against the armrest of his throne as he considered further implications of this mysterious new player. Though it had yet to interfere in his plans directly, there was nothing to imply that it would not do so, given time. But using Dusks to try and locate it had failed, the only indication of its presence being a surge of Light on each world it had visited. Perhaps a station of Dusks on each world inhabited by a Princess would yield results.

Brushing aside his musings, Xemnas decided to ask for something of a second opinion. Perhaps his "friend" beneath Radiant Garden could be of some aide in this. "Twice is coincidence," Xemnas muttered.

* * *

 _A door opened in the big, wood-walled office, drawing young Kairi's gaze. A part of her thought she should be crying, but really she just felt numb. She wanted to believe that her home was alright, but deep down she knew it wasn't likely._

 _Kairi looked up to see a tall man with dirty-blonde hair tied in a low tail, his skin tanned like a walnut. He wore a collared shirt and slacks, so informal compared to the nobles of her home - actually, she liked his clothes better. But it was the warmth in his brown eyes that made her look away._

 _The man approached and knelt to look her in the eye at her level. "Hi, there." She didn't respond. "My name is Alphonse. What's yours?"_

" _K-Kairi," she stammered out._

" _Hello Kairi," Mr. Alphonse greeted. "Welcome to Destiny Islands."_

" _Come on, Kairi!" Sora called, already calf-deep in the water. "You're not gonna have any fun just sitting on the sand!" Kairi glanced at Riku, who just watched her impassively. Nothing ever seemed to bother him, while Sora took everything in stride before it possibly could._

 _Kairi smiled and stepped out of her shoes before slowly treading into the lapping waves. She yelped as Sora ran forward and grabbed her hand to pull her faster. "Sora!" But Kairi couldn't mask the giggle in her words._

 _Kairi giggled as Sora and Riku wrestled in the sand, deciding who would light the built-up wood for their bonfire. She smirked and snatched the lighter, the boys too distracted by their "contest", and flicked the switch. Nothing. She tried again, sticking out her tongue in concentration. After the fourth flick, the flame stuck and she knelt to light the fire._

 _She could only chuckle as both boys protested. But they both calmed down quickly, basking in the heat of the fire. Marshmallows and chocolate followed, cooked by the flames, and the trio fell asleep on the beach, soothed by the gentle fire, until their parents came to pick them up._

* * *

Namine shuddered as she forced herself out of Kairi's memories, her crayons falling from her grasp to clatter against the ground. Her sketchbook followed as she brought her fingers up to massage her temples, willing her sudden headache away. As the pounding in her skull receded, she took a calming breath and picked up her materials.

Namine frowned at the picture she had sketched, one that could - with some imagination - resemble Kairi and a large, pointed blue hat. Namine glanced with disgust at the crayons that littered the table beside her. They served their purpose, but they did little in the way of any art above mediocre. She really prefered her colored pencils.

But, of course, DiZ could care less how she felt. He would merely repeat that she _couldn't_ feel. At all.

Namine sighed and set down her sketchbook, gaze roaming over the white room around her. It had only been yesterday that the trio of herself, Riku, and DiZ had finished relocating to this dilapidated mansion in Twilight Town. In this one room, if she hadn't known better, she would have thought she were back in Castle Oblivion. She briefly wondered if this room had been decorated like this before she came here, or if DiZ had retooled it to resemble her former prison. She was inclined to believe the latter from such a cold man.

Namine rose from her chair and left the White Room for a quick breather, her thoughts plaguing her all the way. What had happened before had only been the most recent plunge into Kairi's memories, and it was happening more frequently. She would be working on Sora's memories, realigning those that she could, when she would be whisked away by the tug of her Other's heart.

She had spent long hours wondering at the implications of these "episodes". Kairi's strengthening heart was clearly one of the causes, and Namine's dives into Sora's memory weren't helping her condition. At her most vulnerable, she could almost _feel_ the line between herself and Kairi blurring, her non-existence fading away in the wake of the real girl responsible for her creation. Well, half-responsible.

And yet, despite the fear of fading that threatened all Nobodies, Namine could feel herself changing in a different way. As if she were mimicking Kairi, she felt herself growing more confident, more assertive. She had, on more than one occasion, thought about going through some of the exercises she had gleaned from Kairi's memories. To prepare for the day she would break away from her cycle of confinement.

As she strode down the steps to DiZ's basement laboratory, Namine wondered if she could settle in Radiant Garden when all of this was over.

After a few more minutes of walking, Namine finally stood before the pod that held Sora. Taking a deep breath, she eased her consciousness into Sora's heart. Opening her metaphysical eyes, she floated in the dark abyss of Sora's heart, the murky depths threaded with veins of glistening Light. To her mind's eye, his memories appeared as literal massive chains, glowing steel blue in the blackness.

Namine pursed her lips, her physical body mimicking the action, at the missing pieces in the great floating chain. Some were small, merely missing one or two links. Still too many, but manageable. Others were far less subtle, with gaping holes missing from the chain.

Namine clasped her hands together, as if in prayer, and forced herself deeper into Sora's heart in search of any links she had missed. When she had first altered his memory, she had been under pressure from Marluxia and his associates. She had just cast the memories she didn't need into the depths of his Darkness with no rhyme or reason. And ever since, she had labored to find them, searching the depths with methodical precision and saint-like patience.

But try as she might, she could no longer find any single links. Wherever those memories were, they were not here. They were not where they were supposed to be.

With an effort of will, Namine drew herself back from Sora's mind and fully into herself. Namine swallowed own her fear at what she had learned, channeling her rising frustration into a single stomp of her sandal. She clutched at her arms, as if to hold herself together and stop her gentle shivers.

If Sora's memories were not in his heart … then where were they?

* * *

The morning after she had returned from Castle of Dreams, Kairi followed Yen Sid through the copse-strewn hills of his small world. He had given her the rest of that day off, to rest after her battle with the Heartless of Lady Tremaine. But now it was back to business.

After about ten minutes of walking, Yen Sid stopped before a stand of tall boulders, more like monoliths, sitting upright in the ground, deep gashes torn out of the grey stone. Some of the gashes looked suspiciously like scorch marks. Was she learning a new spell today?

"I believe it is time to progress your training in use of the Light," Yen Sid announced. "There is a certain skill with a number of uses that a late friend of mine was particularly fond of." With those words, Yen Sid summoned Star Seeker. He thrust it to his side, an orb of white power growing at the tip. With a flick of his wrist, Yen Sid pointed his Keyblade at the stand of monoliths - and the orb exploded into a dozen sinuous lengths of white, glowing chains. The chains, ending in vicious points, wove around each other in a stunning whirl, quickly converging, and struck at one of the boulders.

The stone could do nothing but explode under the force of the spell.

On instinct, Kairi summoned a Barrier to ward off flying debris. After a few seconds, she lowered it and marveled at what she had witnessed. Only the barest hint of the unfortunate monolith remained, a measly stump that could barely be called such a thing.

"This spell," Yen Sid explained, "has for centuries been known as the Keychains. Despite many attempts, none but a Keybearer has been able to learn it. Whether this has to do with the Keyblade itself, the Mark of a Chosen, both or neither of these things we have never understood." He looked to Kairi. "Normally I would hold off on teaching you this, but I fear that whatever trials you face in the future will necessitate such things." He gestured toward the boulders, indicating for her to try it.

Kairi nodded and summoned Destiny's Embrace. After a brief moment to consider how to approach this, she focused her Light into the tip of her Keyblade, as if preparing a Pearl. When she felt the Light had grown enough, she closed her eyes and pictured the blazing chains that Yen Sid had created.

After strengthening the image, she swung her Keyblade toward the monoliths - and yelped as her power exploded, sending her flying. Kairi groaned at the base of a tree, a cedar that had halted her momentum. She grimaced against the aches and pains from her tumble, bracing herself against her Keyblade to stand.

"Perhaps I should have warned you," Yen Sid said, appearing beside her, "that this technique is exceedingly difficult to learn. Not just from simple difficulty, though there is that. If performed improperly, it will quite literally blow up in your face." Kairi glanced at her Master with a raised eyebrow, getting the feeling he was hiding a grin.

"Can you give me any advice on this?" she asked, making a conscious effort to remain civil.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew," he said. "I would suggest you begin by conjuring one or two chains." And with those maddeningly obvious-yet-sensible words, he gestured for her to return to the rocks and try again. Kairi huffed and hefted her Keyblade onto her shoulder. If he thought such a task would intimidate her … she wasn't going to show him how right he was.

Kairi stopped a good twenty feet from the scarred monoliths. Kairi took a few deep breaths, picturing her simmering frustration leaving her body with each exhale. Queen Minnie had taught her that, and it hadn't failed to calm her down yet. Once her nerves were soothed, Kairi focused on channeling Light into her Keyblade. At first, she fell into the habit of collecting it into the orb of a Pearl, and so cut off the flow and let the Light return to her heart.

Kairi shook herself to loosen up - stiff rigidity was not good when working magic or harnessing Light - and started to try again.

* * *

Training that day came to an end the moment Kairi collapsed and couldn't get back up. Yen Sid had lifted her with magic and escorted her back to the tower, placing her under the covers of a sickbed in the infirmary. Had she been conscious, she would have known that she had exhausted her heart, strained it to the point that her body had shut down as a form of self defense.

In a way, it was much like when her heart had fled her body during the Fall of Destiny Islands.

Kairi slept through the night to wake up with every inch of her body sore, her stomach rumbling with hunger, and her tongue dry with thirst. She rolled over with a hiss of discomfort to find a light porridge and a tall glass of water at her bedside. Fighting against the dull throb in her arms and torso, she took the bowl first and began to slowly eat. Experience had taught her that eating too quickly after a bout of exhaustion was never a good idea.

After what felt like an hour, Kair finished her porridge and moved on to the water. She approached that with the same slow caution as her food, lessons about dehydration from back home echoing through her head. Once that was done, Kairi noticed a note from under her bowl from Yen Sid, telling her to take it easy for the rest of the day.

Kairi sighed and made herself comfortable, deciding to try and meditate as a distraction from the dull ache that covered her like a blanket. But as a half-hour passed, she found that she kept losing focus. Willing away her frustration, Kairi tried again. And again. And again, each time keeping her calm for a shorter time than before.

Releasing a pent-up breath that almost came out as a sob, Kairi angrily brushed her eyes. How long had she been training with Yen Sid? Three months, now. Or there abouts. And yet, after all of that, she still struggled. Usually, she revelled in her challenge, pushing herself to do better.

But at the moment, she felt despair begin to rise up as fractured memories from Sora's journey came to the front of her mind as if to mock her. She saw him defeat a massive reptilian Heartless while ducking rifle-fire from a mad hunter. She saw him bob and weave through the water against a power-hungry sea witch. And she saw him cross blades with a pirate captain, a _real pirate_ , and win. And all of this he had done with no formal training.

Kairi bit her lip as she tried to force down her self-pity and think rationally. Sora's journey had been anything but easy. All of those times, it had been either victory or death. Or worse. And in true Sora fashion, he had refused to give and had risen to each and every challenge. And all along the way, he'd had had Donald and Goofy for moral support.

Kairi, on the other hand, was alone in her training. Yes, she had Yen Sid, but he was a teacher. True, it meant he only had to focus on her, rather than dividing his time and attention between her and any number of apprentices. And while she was happy for that, it meant she had no one to compare herself to. As mean as it was, part of her wanted to see someone else fail at her tasks, for a change.

With that stupid thought, Kairi clenched her fists and forcibly shook away her despair. What would Master Aqua think of her attitude? Or Sora and Riku? Or Queen Minnie? She'd hit a roadblock, sure, but so what?! The last three months had been a series of obstacles, and she had forced herself to conquer each and every one! Without a doubt, every Keyblade Apprentice had felt just as she did at some point. And each one hadn't let despair keep them from growing, from learning.

As Kairi smiled to herself, a thought struck her and she shot up into a full sitting position. Master Yen Sid had mentioned that the Keychain spell was difficult … No matter what he'd taught her, he'd never planted such a thought in her head. Not once. Each and every time he had let her figure out just how hard her next lesson was on her own.

Except this time. This time, he'd planted the thought. It may have been a true statement, but the very idea, the _belief_ , that it had been in some way harder than everything else had tripped her up, made her nervous.

And knowing Master Yen Sid, there was no way this was an accident. It was more than possible that he had assigned her this task, idea of difficulty and all, to teach her a lesson far more than just a new spell.

Kairi bit her lip as she thought about what Master Yen Sid wanted to tell her. Wanted her to figure out on her own. Could it be that everything she had felt since waking up had been a part of his lesson? The hard she thought about it, the more she was convinced that it was true.

Kairi thought about her time with Master Aqua. Each time she had met her, from their first meeting when she was a little girl to the times in the present, she had been struck by Aqua's poise. Her air of self-assurance, like there was nothing that could rattle her. She knew, intellectually, that this impression wasn't right; Aqua clearly had reservations about herself and her choices all those years ago. But it didn't change the fact that she kept going, that she had been taught and conditioned to never accept defeat.

That was it. That was the lesson. Aqua had been trapped in the Dark Realm for years, with no way to get back in sight. And yet where others would have curled up and let themselves be destroyed, Aqua had found the strength to keep moving. Sora was the same; no matter what Maleficent's cronies or Ansem had thrown at him, he had pushed through it and gone on to save the worlds lost to Darkness.

That was the lesson, the precedent that Kairi was given to follow. Her struggles with the Keychain spell were supposed to show her that she _would_ reach obstacles that would seem insurmountable. But if her predecessors' stories were anything to go by, there was always hope. As long as you kept fighting, there was a way to win.

Kairi smiled as she thought about her Grandmother's story, her favorite when she was little. _Even in the deepest Darkness, there will always be a Light to guide you Believe in the Light, and the Darkness will never defeat you_.

After a few moments to process, Kairi grit her teeth and flung off her sheets to rise from the infirmary bed. She delved into her magic and cast a succession of Cures, each one dampening the soreness in her muscles. With that done, and her fatigue down to a manageable level, Kairi left the infirmary with firm steps.

She had rested long enough. If it was the last thing she did, she would master the Keychain spell.

 **Latest chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 ***The little reference to Merlin was for fun. I can't help but feel that, if they ever worked together, Yen Sid and Merlin's personalities (stern taskmaster/eccentric mentor) would clash and play off each other pretty hilariously. Quick question: Who do you think would win in a Wizard Duel - Merlin of Yen Sid?**

 ***Can any of you guess who Xemnas's "friend" is? The clip for it is only in the Final Mix version.**

 ***During the memory-flashbacks (I made those up based on our limited info on Destiny Islands itself), play the music "Treasured Memories". They were inspired by Roxas's dreams of Sora's memories in KH2.**

 ***I've noticed that every use of the "light chains" in-canon, here I named them the Keychains, has been related to master Eraqus in some way. He himself used it in his poorly-conceived attempt on Ventus's life, his armor has used it in the Bonus Boss fight, Terra used it in 2.8 with Eraqus's heart in his, the Lingering Will used it after said merge, and Aqua used it in 2.8 using the Master's Defender. It gave me the idea that it was a personal preference of Eraquas. ***I just wish they'd use it more - it's so cool!**

 **Hope you guys are enjoying this. FYI, the time jumps are going to get bigger. I've realized that we've barely gotten to Day 96 and a lot of Kairi's new skills are being covered. Are there any I've missed? What do you all think she should learn next? Leave a comment or PM me, I'd really appreciate some feedback. Until next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

As the amber light began to fade from the clouds beneath the Mysterious Tower, Kairi breathed deeply to center herself as she faced the most despised foe she had ever encountered: the standing stones. Scores of newer scratches, gouges, and burns littered the grey surface - the results of her hard work.

Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace, the long-familiar weight a calming reassurance in both of her hands. Acting on metaphysical muscle memory forged by long hours - days - weeks of practice, she began to channel her Light through the metaphysical weapon. But rather than a simple current of Light, like she had done at the beginning of her attempts, this was different. Kairi imagined the Light flowing down as more pitted, more patterned; like a length of chain rather than a flowing stream.

An appropriate symbol for what she was about to do.

Kairi cast a quick glance behind her to see Master Yen Sid watching her, his intense gaze never wavering. Kairi returned her focus to the stones. The Light began to gather at the tip of her Keyblade, a nimbus of power surrounding it. Kairi swung her Keyblade around and, with an effort of will and a cry of effort, released the gathered power.

From the nimbus of Light exploded a swirling mass of golden chains that lashed around one of the stones and tightened into an immovable grip. Kairi lifted her Keyblade up and brought it back down, and a wave of force flew down the chains. With a satisfying _crack_ , the chains shattered the stone, leaving nothing but a stump.

Kairi stared in awe at what she had accomplished. When Master Yen Sid had ordered her out here to show her progress, she had been nervous. But now … now she was ecstatic! "I did it!" she shouted, bodily leaping for joy.

Kairi halted in her celebration as she picked up a faint crumbling sound. She took a step back at the sight of … the stones repairing themselves. The shards and fragments of stone from her demonstration flowed back toward the stump, forming together like masses of ants before the cracks flared with blue light and faded away to reveal a once-more solid stone.

"That was you, right?" Kairi said, hoping Yen Sid knew she was talking to him.

"Yes it was," he confirmed. "And as for the other turn of events: well done, Kairi." Kairi looked to her side, to where Yen Sid had approached. "Take the rest of the day to rest, my apprentice." He turned and began to make his way back to the tower. "You've earned it."

Kairi stood rooted to the same spot for a few moments, still almost unbelieving that she had finally succeeded. Every backlash of Light, every bruise, every bead of sweat or frustrated tear had paid off. And now that she had gained some mastery of the Keychains, she felt … assured. With nothing more than a faint smile to convey her joy, Kairi turned her back on the stones and back to the tower.

As she walked, Kairi thought over all that had happened over the time she had spent trying to master the Keychains. Three months had passed since she had returned from the Castle of Dreams, from her second Trial, and they had seemed to drag on even as they sped by in a blur.

Like early in her training, Kairi had seemed to hit something of a plateau in her progress. Master Yen Sid had eased her learning of new spells, her lessons in magic relegated to maintaining and honing her skill in what she already knew. Extra time had been left in the evening for her to practice her adopted challenge, with only an animated broom to keep watch over her.

Her physical training had been kept at a level pace, too. Her current skills had been honed, rather than Yen Sid teaching her new ones. In his own words, "basics are for battle", meaning that simple, basic moves were just as effective (often more so) than elaborate or "showy" techniques.

Aside from that lesson, he had begun drilling her in unarmed combat. While disarming a Keybearer was nearly impossible, due to the nature of their weapons, it always paid off to be prepared. Fragments of Sora's memories from Hollow Bastion, when Riku had claimed the Keyblade, had only reinforced this lesson. And aside from that point, Yen Sid had mentioned off-hand that a straight sucker punch could be a nasty surprise to flesh-and-blood enemies who only expected a Keyblade.

As Kairi neared the tower, her thoughts moved from the past to considering the present. She had almost an entire day off! What would she do with it? Less than a minute of thought on that formed a crazy idea. It may not even pan out, but it was worth a try.

With a nod of determination, Kairi ran to her room and grabbed her white coat and travel bag, containing some of her books, her journal, and other such things. Slinging the coat on and the bag over her shoulder, she made her way to Yen Sid's office, resisting the urge to wrap herself in a cloaking spell. She was not at all confident that she could fool her Master's magical senses, and the spell would immediately incriminate her.

A quick peek in the doorway revealed it to be empty, a sweep of the room locating her prize. The Star Shard lay on one of his shelves, apparently dormant. With quick, yet quiet steps, she approached and snatched the Shard before departing, quietly closing the door behind her.

Of course, she failed to notice the sorcerer catch her action from the side room. With a faint sigh, he silently decided to let his apprentice's scheme unfold. He was fairly certain she wouldn't get into too much trouble.

Blissfully unaware of being caught, Kairi descended the steps of the tower and rushed into the foreyard, the Shard clutched in her hand. She halted and examined the Shard, thinking furiously on how to get it to activate.

On impulse, she mentally dove into her magic and extended at cautious thread toward the silvery stone. Perhaps it reacted to magic? As soon as her magic connected, the thread was soaked up by the Shard and it began to glow. Caught of guard, she focused on a mental image of a familiar trio.

Biting back a squeal at the lurching feeling in her stomach, she hoped to the stars that the Shard was taking her where she wanted to go.

* * *

"You know what? I think the sunset is even more beautiful today," Olette said, tossing her ice cream stick into a distant trash can with practiced ease. The trio of friends were hanging out on Sunset Hill, on Pence's suggestion to spent the day somewhere different.

"Really?" Hayner asked. "It looks pretty much the same to me." He tossed his own stick over the side of the hill overlooking the railroad tracks, flinching as Olette slapped his arm for littering.

"I have to agree with Hayner, Lette. But if you think it's better today, that's great, too. Everyone sees it differently - who are we to stop you from-" Pence trailed off, drawing curious looks from his friends.

"Pence?" Olette prompted.

Hayner followed his friend's upward gaze, immediately catching what he was staring at. "Whoa," she chuckled.

Olette took the hint and looked up as well to see what looked like a shooting star on a criss-crossing path darting through the sky, now with a fain _ping_ ing noise with each change of direction. And even as they watched, all three realized it was growing steadily closer.

"Look out!" Hayner shouted, tackling his friends to the ground. All three covered their heads with their arms, screwing their eyes shut from a sudden blinding light. The light seemed to die down as quickly as it had come, and they took a few moments before opening their eyes.

Pence, ever-curious, was the first to glance behind them. "Guys, look!" he said before darting toward the center of the hill. Hayner and olette followed closely to find a very familiar figure sprawled across the packed earth.

"Kairi?" Olette asked.

Kairi groaned and sat up, tucking something away into her bag. She smiled and gave a slight wave. "Hey guys. What's up?"

" _You_ were that crazy shooting star?" Hayner asked, loudly.

"Yeah," she said nervously. "I, um … I was testing something out for my uncle. He, uh- he's trying to figure out a faster way to travel. But it- it clearly needs work, right?" She chuckled nervously, tugging at the sleeve of her coat.

The trio glanced at each other in the silent communication of the closest of friends. After a few moments, they all came to the same conclusion: they didn't fully buy that, but it was probably best to not pry. Kairi was their friend, she deserved the benefit of the doubt. Plus, no one wanted to get on old man Yen Sid's bad side.

Olette smiled and drew Kairi in for a hug. "It's so good to see you, Kairi! It's been so long!" Really, it had. They hadn't seen hide nor hair of her for almost six months! "What brings you back to town? I mean, besides your uncle's 'test'."

Kairi winced at the subtle inflection on "test", something that would fly over a boy's head. And did, in Hayner and Pence's case. "Well, my uncle gave me the day to myself, so I thought I'd drop by." That, thankfully, was the whole truth. She was silently grateful that the Star Shard had brought her where she actually wanted to go. She glanced down and noticed the ice cream stick in Pence's hand. "Aw, I missed ice cream?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Pence said, tossing his stick into the same trash can as Olette had. "But the day is still young. Who's up for an adventure?"

"I'm in," Kairi said, followed by Olette and Hayner. Pence nodded and started for the path down the hill, his purposeful stride showing he had something in mind.

* * *

A train ride, walk through town, and trek through the woods later had the trio and Kairi emerge from the trees to find the abandoned mansion. Even having seen it before, Kairi marvelled at the manor, even in its disrepair. What must it have looked like in its heyday?

Kairi glanced at the wrought-iron lock and a thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Pence?" she asked sweetly The stout boy glanced at her in response. "You wouldn't have happened to bring us here because of _this_ ," she summoned Destiny's Embrace, "would you?" The smile she wore didn't quite reach her eyes.

Pence chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, it may have had something to do with that," he admitted.

"Pence!" Olette scolded, arms crossed. "That's not like you." She grinned. "I mean, Hayner, sure, but not you!"

"Hey!" Hayner protested, and the other three chuckled as he pouted.

"You know, Pence, for the record?" She lifted her Keyblade to point at the gate. Motes of Light swirled around the tip, condensing into a beam that shot into the lock and drew out a metallic _thud_ before the lock faded away into a ripple of luminance. "All you had to do was ask."

The trio stared at the gate, where a lock of solid black metal had just been.

"Are you guys just gonna stand there and stare, or help me?" Kairi called lightly, straining to open the gate. Hayner scoffed at the implied challenge and joined Kairi. Between the two of them, quickly backed up by Pence and Olette, the gate ground open on its rusted hinges.

Kairi dusted her hands off and approached the mansion for a closer look. She glanced over the broken pillars that stood in the courtyard, wondering what their purpose had once been. She looked up at the crest above the doors, a symbol that resembled the clock tower. Could this once have been the home of the town's ruler? Or just a wealthy family that had left it?

"There's a legend about this place," Pence said.

"Oh, Pence, come on," Hayner scoffed. "Not that old fairy tale again."

"What legend?" Kairi asked.

"They say the mansion is haunted. If you look at the upper left window, some say you can see a girl in white looking back at you." Kairi smiled and looked up to the aforementioned window, unafraid to look for a ghost.

But rather than in the window, a girl in white hid behind the corner of the mansion wall, watching the group from behind. Namine swallowed thickly and brought her hands to her chest. Something there was ... drawn to Kairi, as if wanting to rejoin her. Namine took a step back, gasping as her sandal snapped a twig.

Kairi's head snapped around at the sound, her threat-assessment training kicking in. "Hello?" she called, darting back to the gate with her Keyblade slung over her shoulder. She emerged back in the clearing to find … wisps of Darkness, dispersing into nothing even as she watched.

Kairi armed her weapon and cast her senses as far as she could, the Light of her heart open for the oppressive sense of Darkness. After a few minutes of quiet, she relaxed and glanced back at the spot where she had seen the dark mist. She moved forward … and stopped at a sudden warm feeling in her heart. The feeling faded quickly, but it had been there. What had that been?

"Kairi?" Olette asked, Pence and Hayner behind her. "Are you okay?"

"...Yeah. I'm alright," Kairi said. She moved to look back at the mansion, dismissing Destiny's Embrace. What had that feeling been? "Let's head back to town," she said absently. None of the others had any objections as she led the way back toward the woods.

In the upper-right window of the mansion, hidden by the white curtains, Namine watched her Other leave. As she watched, one hand pressed against the glass of the window, motes of Light began to fall from her other hand. Namine glaced down and yelped, shaking her hand to disperse the motes.

They stopped after just a moment, which was a relief. And yet, on some level, she felt … sad? Why did she feel sad that that strange phenomenon had stopped? Wait, why did she _feel_ at all?

Namine's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her door smashing open. Riku, still blindfolded, swept his covered gaze across the room. "Namine, are you alright? I thought I heard you shout."

Namine sighed and chuckled. No doubt Riku had assumed she had been found by the Organization. "No, Riku, I'm fine. Thank you." For his quick reaction. For actually caring about her, unlike DiZ.

Riku nodded left, closing the door behind him. Namine waited a moment for him to get some distance from her room before settling herself in her chair and picking up her sketchbook. With a faint hum in thought, she thumbed a drawing pencil, the last of her batch from Castle Oblivion, from the binding rings. She smiled at the familiar weight of the wooden instrument, glancing disdainfully at the crude crayons DiZ would still procure for her.

Namine let out a soothing breath and began to draw, for recreation rather than purpose. After being so close to her Other, after feeling the line between them blur more than ever before, she needed to calm down. She would do no good to Sora if she dove into his heart with her nerves strained to their breaking point.

As she lost herself in her art, Namine slowly calmed down. The peace that came from her one beloved hobby wrapped her like a blanket. It grew to the point where she wasn't even aware of drawing, merely letting her hand move through practiced, motions guided by intuition.

Namine blinked a few times as she came out of her light trance … and gasped at what she had drawn. Her pencil clattered to the ground as she looked at her creation. On the piece of parchment stood the image of a … Keyblade. One she had never seen in Sora's memories. One that felt … close to her.

"What is happening?" Namine wondered aloud.

* * *

A few hours later, Kairi still couldn't shake the strange sense of warmth she had felt back at the mansion. She had definitely seen traces of Darkness, which she didn't have in her heart. So what had that feeling been?

"Kairi, you're ice cream's melting," olette warned. Kairi glanced down at the treat in her hand, beads of it slowly dripping away. Kairi smiled in thanks and quickly licked at the excess before taking a large bite.

After the trip to the abandoned mansion, the group had done some shopping in the market before retiring to the Usual Spot. They had talked, Kairi really saying little as she was swept up in her thoughts. The trio had noticed her unusual quiet, and decided to let her join the discussion when she was ready.

"Hey, Kairi?" Hayner said, "why don't you sign up for the Struggle tournament this summer?"

"Struggle?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's a sport in Twilight Town, kind of a mick-combat type thing. It's basically a sword fight with clubs instead of swords." The blond continued to explain the rules of Struggle, Kairi hanging on to each word. Maybe she should bring this sport back to the Islands! It would catch like a wildfire back home.

"Mmm, I dunno," Kairi said, hiding a smirk. "I don't think you'd be able to handle my skills." Which was completely true; there was no way anyone could beat her, not without genuine training.

"Oh, really!" Hayner shot back with a hotheaded grin. "There's no way I'd lose to a _girl_ from out of town." He looked to Pence and Olette. "Right, guys?"

"Are you saying being a girl is some sort of handicap?" Olette asked, arms folded and gaze icy.

"Don't bring me into this," Pence pleaded. "I remember how she did against those monsters in the maintenance tunnels."

Hayner balked at the memory of Kairi thrashing those things, but recovered quickly. "Eh, she had that crazy sword to fight those guys. I'm talking about using nothing but a Struggle bat." He looked back at Kairi with a cocky grin. "So. You game, Red?"

Kairi scoffed and stood, hands on her hips. "If I can actually make the tournament, I'll make you regret ever telling me about this tournament." Kairi lifted her hand and spat into her palm, just like the kids back at the Islands would when making pacts. A shake on that, as far as Islanders were concerned, was unbreakable. She held out her hand to shake. Hayner blinked at the ritual, then shrugged and mirrored it before shaking her hand and sealing the deal.

The four quickly dissolved into laughter at the situation, and Kairi thanked the stars, or Kingdom Hearts, or whatever force guided fate that she had met these three.

After another hour or so of talking, the group's current discussion of why the sun sets red was interrupted by a bird flying into the Usual Spot. Kairi marvelled at the snow-white plumage of a dove, broken only by a star-shaped black mark. The dove gracefully landed on Kairi's shoulder with a gentle coo. The bird stuck out its foot to reveal a small scroll tied to its ankle.

With a sinking feeling, Kairi removed the scroll and gently stroked the dove's plumage, eliciting a grateful coo before it took off and flew out the door. Kairi unfurled the scroll to reveal a summons from Master Yen Sid, informing her that his train would be arriving in the station in a matter of minutes. The order to return was unspoken, but so clearly there.

"Kairi?" Olette prompted.

"It's my uncle," she informed. "He's calling me back home." The trio exchanged glances before escorting her to the station. As they entered the station, the star-studded train rolled up as if on cue.

"It was so good to see you again, Kairi," Olette said, grasping Kairi's hands in her own. She pulled Kairi into a hug, which she gladly returned.

"Don't forget about the Struggle tournament," Hayner warned, planting his fist in his palm. "I'm not gonna let you slip out of the challenge."

"Like I'd be scared to face you, Sandy," Kairi shot back with a cocky smirk.

"We'll miss you, Kairi," pence said with a smile.

Before she could answer, the train sounded its horn, as if impatient for Kairi to board. Kairi smiled and waved before boarding, looking through a window as the train began to pull out of the station. She waved to her friends as she lost sight of them, heart warm as they waved back.

As the train rode by the scenery of Twilight Town, Kairi settled in one of the seats and lay her head back. And as the train chugged along, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.

When would she, Sora, and Riku be together again?

* * *

In the Castle That Never Was, a single Dusk wove its way through the halls in search of one of its superiors. Finding Saix would be ideal, but any of the remaining members would do. It had been reconnoitering the world settled in twilight, and had a piece of odd news to deliver.

The Dusk halted in its floating tracks as it noticed a flash of color. Darting forward, it caught sight of the Organization's eighth member, the Flurry of Dancing Flames. Saix, may have been the Superior's second-in-command, but Axel was right here. And no one had ever accused Dusks of being overly bright.

Axel glanced back at the Dusk as it drew near, one eyebrow rising in curiosity. With a smirk, he turned to face the creature. "Hey, what ya got for me?" he asked, tone casual.

 _A visitor was spotted in the town in twilight. A girl with red hair. She looked much like Lady XIV,_ the Dusk recited in its semi-mental language.

Axel's eyebrows shot up at that information. "Show me," he ordered. Axel drew near and placed his palm on the Dusk's head, just over the inverted heart of the Nobodies. He closed his eyes and focused, an image of a girl in a white coat appearing in his mind's eye.

His teeth clenched in surprise. There was no doubt in his mind that the image was of the famous Kairi. Axel had been well aware of Marluxia's plan for Namine to gain control of Sora by supplanting his feelings for Kairi, feelings that he himself doubted were strictly platonic. Not by a long shot.

And it seemed that Kairi had somehow gotten to Twilight Town.

"Is this girl still there?" Axel asked, removing his hand from the dusk and breaking the connection.

 _Negative, my lord_ , the Dusk reported. _She has left the world by a means I could not see._

Axel crossed his arms and took a moment to think. "Forget what you saw," he ordered. "I'll deliver this to Number Seven myself."

The Dusk, thinking nothing of it, nodded and departed. As the Dusk swam through the air and turned a corner, Axel continued on his way, a wry smirk on his lips. He actually had no intention of reporting this to Saix. It was rare that he could get any information that his old friend didn't receive first, so he intended to keep hold of this. It was time to see how Saix liked being in the dark for once; should the information ever come up.

With that thought lifting his spirits, he stepped up his pace to the Grey Area. The sooner he finished his mission, the sooner he could meet up with Roxas and Xion. Things may have been tense or akward before, but he was determined to salvage what they had had.

 **Whoop, new chapter ya'll! Sorry about going AWOL for so long. Inspiration's a fickle thing, at times. Hope this chapter makes up for that. Hopefully, I'll be back on a regular update schedule.**

 ***For those wondering, no Kairi didn't gain control of the Star Shard. Mickey couldn't figure that thing out as an in-all-but-title Master, what chance does a teenaged trainee have? The Shard took her to TT on its own. We have no idea how it works, so I'm working on the not-unfounded assumption that it transports novice users where they _need_ to be at the time. **

***What do ya'll think is happening to Namine? In my book, something that should have happened a long time ago.**

 ***Axel's part in this was inspired by their interactions in KH2. Axel took the initiative and made contact with Kairi (read: tried to kidnap her). This will come up later - just wait and see! As a side note, I hope we get to see them interact in KH3! If you want an excellent Fic on what may happen, read "Dear Sora" by PhoenixDowner. I may have cited this already, but it's an excellent read!**

 **As always, please leave a review! They make me SO HAPPY!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

For the two months that followed her visit to Twilight Town, Yen Sid had decided to amp up her magical training. In his own words, it was "high time her true strength was given its fair share of attention". Which, in more mundane terms, meant that he was teaching her things that only the most magically-inclined apprentices were taught.

Things, according to Yen Sid, that Master Aqua had been taught.

Her first lessons had been to finish off her "tiers" of offensive spells, such as Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, and so on. Within three weeks, she had mastered the third tier; and her execution under battle-like stress had grown to match.

It was after her perfection of these spells that Yen Sid began to teach her "masterous" level spells. His first lesson had been in "stringing" spells, which resulted in spells such as Triple Firaga and Blizzaga. Needless to say, after an adjustment period to sustained spellcasting, she had taken to these spells with almost frightening zeal.

After stringing spells, Yen Sid had taught her to build the "magnitude" of her spells. This had resulted in spells with large areas of effect, such as Glacier, Firaga Burst, and Raging Storm. These had taken her much longer to get a grasp on, the sheer amount of magic necessary to use them making them exhausting to learn and difficult to use in battle except as a trump card. Master Yen Sid had assured her that her reserves of internal magic would eventually grow to more practical levels, but had advised her to keep them in reserve until then.

And all the while, unbeknownst to his apprentice, Yen Sid was gauging her level of skill for a specific test. His simulated battles that honed her skills and spells were all well and good, but they were guided by his own will. And despite his stern appearance, Yen sid was at heart a kind soul. He couldn't put his all into those battles, lest it lead to real harm.

But the location he was planning to take her had no such scruples.

As the sixty-seven days of traditional testing before said location was revealed drew to a close, Kairi waited in the sorcerer's office. He had instructed her to stay here while he fetched something. That had been fifteen minutes ago, and she was starting to get antsy.

As she tensed to rise from her seat and find him herself, a pillar of greenish light rose from the ground and faded away to reveal Yen Sid. In his hands was a large, carved wooden chest, a large iron lock keeping it shut. "My apologies, Kairi. I had forgotten where I had left this."

Yen Sid placed the chest on his desk and waved his hand, the lock opening without visible prompting. Another wave of his hand opened the chest and brought out a number of small pieces of metal, lining them up in the air to gently descend to the desk's surface. The chest floated away and settled against ground.

Yen Sid stroked his beard in thought for a moment before picking up a piece near the left hand end of the line. He faced Kairi and gestured for her to rise from her seat. She did as she was told, and Yen Sid attached the metallic piece to her upper arm. Upon closer inspection, the piece seemed to be a segment of armor. A pauldron, if she wasn't mistaken.

The pauldron hadn't been on her arm for more than a few seconds before Yen Sid removed it with a shake of his head. He replaced it in line and moved down one, attaching it to her arm in its place. That done, he lifted a hand and turned it at the wrist, a faint silvery glow emanating from his fingers. The pauldron glowed to match and seemed to shift in some way, fitting her arm more securely. Not so much _tighter_ , as _better_.

With a faint grin, Yen Sid snapped his fingers. Dark smoke rose from the floorboards and whirled around them, dispersing to reveal the outside of the tower. "Now, Kairi. There is a triggering mechanism in the outside of the pauldron. If you would please activate it."

Kairi glanced down at the innocuous piece of armor and shrugged. She slapped her hand against it - and gasped as a bright light emanated from it. She clenched her eyes shut on instinct and opened them to reveal a tinted piece of glass in front of her eyes.

Kairi glanced down at her hands and started. They were covered by a pair of metallic lavender gauntlets, highlighted in silver. Further examination revealed matching armor covering her entire body, the segments fitting so well it was as if she were not wearing them at all. Which meant the glass tinting her vision must be a helmet. Kairi gently removed the helmet and examined it. The visor was slightly pointed, and a set of wing-shaped projections swooped backward from it.

"What is all this?" Kairi asked.

"It is Keyblade Armor," Master Sid explained. "In the more advanced stages of training, apprentices are given sets of this armor in order to travel between worlds without being affected by the Darkness in the Lanes Between. As I've said, you do not have such a problem; however, the armor will serve to keep your light hidden, much like your coat." He grinned before continuing. "But more to the point, it is also necessary for our next test of your training." He turned and began to return to his tower.

"I suggest you rest well tonight. We leave tomorrow after breakfast."

* * *

Just after sunrise, or the equivalent in the sunless glow of Yen Sid's islet, Kairi was finishing her porridge when Yen Sid elaborated on his words the day before. "As soon as you finish, Kairi, pack a bag and report to my office. Your third trial is not for some time yet, but I have another test of sorts that I would like to administer."

Yen Sid stood and waved his hand, conjuring a Door unlike any Kairi had seen. All of Yen Sid's Doors had appeared to be made of wood, carved with symbolic images of the worlds they led to. This Door was completely different, made of a sheet of shining metal.

Kairi stood and joined her Master as the Door opened, revealing a bright light as always. Upon his gesture, she clapped her palm to the pauldron on her shoulder to summon her Keyblade Armor. He pressed a bulky bracelet-like device on his wrist, summoning his own Armor. Kairi marvelled at the blue-tinted armor that covered her Master, emblazoned, surprisingly, with silvery stars. Rather than ear-like extensions, it had a single spire atop the helmet, narrow at the very bottom before splaying out and to a point, like an arrowhead. Or his hat. She followed him through … to reveal a world so different from anything she had seen, she needed a few moments to process it.

The room where they stood was not so unusual, aside from the futuristic, metallic look and the glowing yellow sigil on the ground before them. What gave her pause was the great machine floating in Interspace before them. It looked like a massive glass sphere surrounded by great bands of metal, a bright light shining from its center.

Yen Sid strode forward and stepped onto the sigil on the ground, disappearing in a flash of greenish light. Kairi started before shaking it off and rushing to catch up. Her stomach lurched as she was transported, she could only assume, to the massive sphere. The new room was round, the center a circular depression that sat in front of … what Kairi could hardly believe was a computer.

Computers were a rare commodity back home. She had only ever seen one in Alphonse's office, compliments of being the mayor.

Yen Sid crossed the chamber and approached the computer, nodding to a creature that stood beside it. "Welcome back to the Arena, kupo!" the creature said, its voice high-pitched and utterly adorable! Kairi reined herself in from gushing over the adorable creature and focused on Yen Sid's work with the computer.

With a final click of the keyboard, the depression in the middle of the chamber began to glow. "Your test is within the Arena itself," Yen Sid said, his voice completely clear in spite of the helmet. "Go and face your challenge."

Kairi nodded and leapt for the glow, hard light enveloping her. She reappeared in a more typically arena-styled room. The ground was a huge mosaic of white and cool-colored geometric figures, the walls comprised of gently turning red sigils of red metal.

Before she could get her bearings, the room changed. Light in digital runes spread across the ground and walls, fading away to reveal … the Second District of Traverse Town? On instinct, Kairi looked up, and leapt back with a shout as large pieces of metal fell from the night sky. The pieces floated up and arranged themselves in a humanoid formation, revealing an entity that Kairi knew from Sora's memories.

The Guard Armor.

With a deep breath, Kairi centered herself and summoned Destiny's Embrace. And with a fierce battle cry, she charged the massive Heartless.

* * *

Yen Sid watched with a calculating eye, his fingers steepled, as his apprentice fought the date-reconstruction of the great Heartless. Holographic screens around the Arena Entrance Chamber showed the fight from numerous angles, allowing him to catch everything. And as he was free from directing whatever forces she was to fight, the Arena doing the job for him, he was able to watch her with all of his formidable focus.

As he had predicted from the beginning, Kairi's fighting style largely centered on magic. It reminded him of Eraqus's occasional reports on Aqua's training. A favored tactic was launching a spell with her Keyblade or free hand and darting forward for quick strikes when the enemy was disoriented. A viable tactic, but he would have to teach her not to become too reliant on one action.

It didn't take her too long to defeat the guard Armor, the data that comprised it simulating the monster falling apart and releasing a massive heart. He grinned as the data-heart halted in its floating away and was wrapped back in faux-Darkness, much to Kairi's evident surprise, reconstituting the Guard Armor. The projection began to shake and rearrange itself, forming the stronger form of the Opposite Armor.

Yen Sid was pleased when Kairi moved passed her surprise without so much as a slight hesitation, releasing a barrage of Fire spells before darting for cover to avoid her opponent's great swinging lunges.

It was when she had cleared away the Armor's limbs when things got interesting. The Armor began charging its torso like a massive cannon and firing orbs of Darkness at her. Unlike reality, the Opposite Armor could fire in salvos, and the orbs lightly homed in on Kairi for an extra challenge.

Kairi started out dodging the orbs, occasionally having to strike one away with her Keyblade. After a few repetitions she began blocking them with a Barrier, sending them back at the source. A few more repetitions saw the Opposite Armor's defeat, once again playing out the simulation of a massive heart being freed.

After a few seconds, Kairi reappeared in the depression in the center of the chamber. "Well done, Kairi," Yen Sid said. "As I'm sure you have guessed, this is your test. You will fight these reconstructions of the adversaries your predecessors encountered, and I will judge you accordingly."

Kairi nodded in understanding. "Let's do it," she said, hands tight with anticipation.

* * *

Kairi wasn't sure what time it was when she stepped through the Door back to Yen Sid's tower. They could have been there a handful of hours or several days. All she really knew was that every muscle she had, both physical and metaphysical, was sore. Cure spells were great, but after a while even they couldn't do much for exhaustion. She clapped her hand to her shoulder to deactivate her Keyblade Armor, heaving a sigh at the admittedly-little easing of the weight she was carrying.

In their time at the Mirage Arena, Kairi had fought a series of data-forms of the various members of Maleficent's conclave, as well as a few more miscellaneous Great Heartless. It was only after her defeating the data-form of the pirate captain, Hook, that Yen Sid had ended the tests.

Which was good in at least one way. She doubted she could have lasted against a foe even more powerful than Hook. Frankly, the fact that a sea captain with no magic, even a piraty, had pushed her so hard with nothing but a rapier, present-wrapped bombs, and a childlike temper had left her ego a little bruised.

As they climbed the stairways to Yen Sid's office, Kairi was reminded of the new weight in her pocket. After each match, the little creature that manned the Arena entrance (Yen Sid had called it a Moogle) had handed her a heavy golden medal as proof of her victory. Each had been etched with the outline of the Mirage Arena on one side and an image of the defeated party on the other.

In the end, she had earned a total of nine medals. One for the Guard/Opposite Armor (the etching depicting both, back-to-back), the Trickmaster Heartless, the three-headed hound Cerberus, a pair of Stealth Sneak Heartless, the mad genie Jafar, the Parasite Cage Heartless, the sea witch Ursula, Oogie Boogie, and Captain Hook.

When she got back to her room, she planned to frame the medals and hang them up as a reminder. The fights may have been tough, but they had been against data, not flesh and blood or Darkness. Sora had fought and beaten the real things, and the stakes had been much higher for him. Victory … or death. Kairi knew that she would fight like that at some point, maybe even soon, but she was grateful for her training.

So wrapped up in her thoughts, Kairi almost walked right into Yen Sid, who had paused in his stride. She walked around to ask what was wrong, but he spoke right before her. "Go rest, Kairi," he gently ordered. "We have magic practice later tonight." With that, he pushed on, his pace more purposeful than his usual calm neutrality.

Thinking quickly, Kairi waited a few moments before following. Whatever had Master Yen Sid's attention, she wanted to know what it was.

* * *

Yen Sid entered his office with unusual haste, sealing the door shut behind him. He had sensed the presence of a very familiar practitioner, one that he hadn't expected to see.

Sitting on his desk, a short figure was partly hidden behind a large leather book. The book twitched down at his approach, revealing the hooded face of his last apprentice. "Welcome back, Master Yen Sid," mickey laughed, hopping down from the desk to replace the book he had been reading.

Mickey tossed back the hood and nodded his head with respect. The mouse-king was clad in a Black Cloak, not unlike those worn by the Organization. Yen Sid briefly wondered where he had obtained a Cloak tailored for his size, but brushed the thought away.

"It is good to see you, Mickey," he greeted, moving to sit at his desk. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit."

Mickey crossed his arms, his foot tapping in thought. "I've come to ask your advice, Master," he replied. "Things have happened, and I'm not sure what to do." Yen Sid brushed his beard and nodded for Mickey to continue.

"First off, I know where Sora is," Mickey reported, "and what happened to him." With those words, the King began his tale of Riku's journey through the infamous Castle Oblivion, and gave what he had been able to deduce about Sora's own journey from Riku's explanations and his own findings. He gave particular detail on the mysterious girl Namine and the figure known as DiZ.

Yen Sid considered his former apprentice's report for a few minutes of silence. "So it seems the worlds' wisdom has been proven right yet again." Mickey's report had filled in the gaps of his own reasoning, and the theories that had shared with Kairi. He opened his unnerving eyes to regard Mickey. "And you are certain this 'Namine' will be successful?"

"Yup," Mickey agreed. "I didn't meet her myself, but I have faith that she wants to set things right. And if anything goes wrong, Riku's helping her out." Mickey kept quiet about his own reservations. While he truly had no doubt about Namine's commitment or that Sora would be fixed up, it really was taking quite some time to do so. And then there was Riku's struggles with the shadow of Not-Ansem.

"And even with all of that, I feel you still have more to say," Yen Sid said, grinning briefly. It always seemed that Mickey got into more trouble than anyone he had ever met.

Mickey nodded in affirmation. "While I was in the Dark Realm, I found-"

* * *

"-Master Aqua."

Kairi gasped and covered her mouth in shock, still reeling from the stories on Sora and Riku. Or at least, what she had been able to catch through the door. Now King Mickey claimed he knew about Master Aqua?! Kairi shook it off and continued listening, straining her hearing to catch all she could through the thick wood.

* * *

Mickey went on to describe his encounter with Aqua on his mission to claim the Dark Realm's Keyblade and close the Door to Darkness. He paused for a moment when he came to Aqua's final fate, and regretfully reported that he had no further information on the lost Master.

Yen Sid hummed in thought as he mulled over everything he had learned. "While the news that Master Aqua is alive and in relative good health is heartening, it comes with a share of conundrums. One, we are unsure how to locate her for rescue."

Mickey waited for Yen Sid to elaborate further. "And, second?" he asked.

"Second is her relationship to my current apprentice," he said. Mickey took a step back in surprise at Yen Sid's news. Current apprentice? In all honesty, such a thing had never crossed his mind. Yen Sid was a man who valued his privacy, but more than that was his retirement. Mickey had never considered that he may take up another apprentice.

Wait … another apprentice … meant another Keybearer!

"Who's your new apprentice?" Mickey asked, voice shining with curiosity.

Yen Sid chuckled. "One indirectly Chosen by Master Aqua herself. One intimately connected to the young Sora and Riku. And one that I believe you have encountered before." Mickey tilted his head in confusion, quickly thinking over his past. He had only really met Aqua twice, once in the Keyblade Graveyard, and in Radiant Garden, when …

A flash of memory illuminated the vision of a young girl who shone with great Light.

"A Princess of Heart?!" Mickey exclaimed. "Aqua Bequeathed her power to a Princess?"

"Yen Sid nodded. "A young girl by the name of Kairi. I have a feeling you recognize this name?"

Kairi … Riku had mentioned a "Kairi", along with Sora. Mickey thought over this revelation for a moment before Yen Sid added, "And your Queen was quite taken with the girl, when I asked her to teach Kairi about the Light." Mickey started at that, sadness washing over him at the thought of Minnie all alone in the castle. But he brushed it off, unwilling to return to the comfort of his wife's embrace when the worlds were still in danger. If they were suffering, then so would he.

"Can I meet her?" Mickey asked hopefully. "I got the impression from Riku that she's grown into quite the extraordinary young lady." Not to mention her newfound status as a Keybearer.

Yen Sid nodded. "If you wish to meet her, just call. I believe she's been listening all this time." A muted _thump_ at the door confirmed his suspicions. He briefly wondered if there had ever been an apprentice who had actually _listened_ when their Master said to retire early.

The door opened to reveal Kairi rubbing the back of her head, a blush painting her cheeks as she smiled to hide her guilt. She closed the door and approached Mickey, fidgeting with her hands as she was swamped by sudden nervousness. If he was anything like Queen Minnie, she really had nothing to be nervous about; but still, it wasn't every day one met a full-fledged Keybearing King.

"Hiya, Kairi!" Mickey greeted. "It's a pleasure to finally meet ya!" He held up his hand to shake, and Kairi smiled as she reciprocated. No wonder Minnie loved him so; he seemed like the kind who got along with everyone.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Your Majesty. Queen Minnie told me so much about you, I kinda feel like I've known you forever."

"Well, we did meet once before," Mickey said with a laugh. Kairi giggled as she recalled their first meeting, all those years ago. Then her smile dropped as she remembered Mickey's reports to Yen Sid.

"King Mickey, did you really see Riku? Is he alright? What about Sora, or Master Aqua?"

Mickey held up his hands to stall Kairi's questions. "Easy there, Miss. Most of those questions I don't really know the answer to. And for those I do, it's not my place to say." He seemed sad at that last part. "Riku's walking a difficult path, but I know he'll pull through. As for Sora, I really couldn't tell ya for sure. Same for Aqua."

Kairi tried to hide her disappointment, but apparently it showed on her face. "Aw, don't worry, Kairi. Everything'll turn out just fine. You'll see!" Kairi smiled and nodded.

"As for these new developments," Yen Sid interrupted, "your standing orders regarding Sora extend to all of this as well. Mickey's report confirms that Sora will rejoin the worlds soon enough, and all those who have forgotten will remember in due time. All we can do is prepare, and have patience."

Kairi nodded, her features resolute.

Yen Sid stroked his beard in thought before grinning faintly. "Mickey, would offer this old man a favor?" Mickey glanced back at Yen Sid, ears perked in curiosity. "I would ask that you stay for one more day to spar with Kairi, test her skills against a young, experienced foe. I'm afraid I'm not as young as I used to be."

Mickey laughed and readily agreed. Kairi smiled, genuinely excited for such a prospect, but had the sinking feeling that a spar with King Mickey would be no walk in the park. Maybe she could sneak back to her room to rest up?

"Now then, Kairi, on to our magic lesson," Yen Sid announced.

Apparently not.

 **New chapter!**

 ***The beginning is my rationalization of Aqua's unique Magic Commands in _Birth By Sleep_. I figure that once you hit a certain level of mastery, you can perform a wider _variety_ of spells rather than just ramping up what you know. I'm actually pretty sure "masterous" is _not_ a word. I just think it sounds cool. **

***How'd ya'll like my take on the Mirage Arena. It wasn't my favorite part of BBS, but I was glad they broke away from Olympus Coliseum for the tournament part of the game. Added a breath of fresh air. And the fights against the Master Armor(s) was pretty awesome (if also mind-breakingly frustrating!) I also think the phases of the Arena would update over time; I mean, the Wayfinders fought ten years before the first game!**

 ***Kairi's finally got Keyblade Armor! And also, my thoughts on what Yen Sid's Armor looks like. The "spire" on his helmet is a lot like the three curved points on Eraqus's, just straight and wider at the base. It brings his hat to mind.**

 ***The last part with Mickey actually happened on a spur of the moment. We don't really know when Yen Sid was made aware of Aqua, but it stands to reason that Mickey was keeping him updated during the time between CoM and KH2, since he arranged for the train to take them from Twilight Town to the Mysterious Tower. It just makes sense to me.**

 **Hope you guys liked it! We're winding down the "Kairi's Training" arc. Not sure if I'll continue the next arc in this story or as a shorter second story. Ya'll's thoughts? And as always, leave a review! I love hearing from you guys!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Just as promised, the next morning found Kairi facing Mickey in one of Yen Sid's impromptu, though still very elaborate and heavy on the celestial-motif, sparring rings. Excitement and dread warred away in her belly, and she could feel the beginnings of sweat beading her forehead.

Mickey, for the most part, seemed perfectly at ease. But then, he had the benefit of not only a full-fledged apprenticeship, but far more real-world experience than her. Of course, for all she knew, Mickey was just always at ease. It would make sense to assume so.

"Combatants, prepare your weapons," Yen Sid called from the center of the ring. Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace, while Mickey called forth his own Keyblade. Kairi's eyes widened a the sight of it, a perfect twin to Sora's Kingdom Key, the only difference being a reversed color scheme.

Had she not known Mickey or fragments of his reputation, she would probably have laughed aloud at the sight. The Kingdom Key D was the exact size of a regular Keyblade and dwarfed the King himself. It looked more like a broadsword than the standard knight-type sword.

But if one looked closer, as Kairi did, they would realize that that first impression was far from accurate. Mickey held the Keyblade across his shoulders with the ease of constant practice, his stance even and perfectly balanced. To him, wielding a Keyblade had become second-nature. And even deeper, the glint in his eyes spoke of nothing but quiet confidence. He perfectly assured of his own skills, while drawing far short of arrogance.

Kairi snapped her attention back to the task at hand and began to center her thoughts, reaching inward for her magic. There was no doubt in her mind that Mickey would be a skilled opponent, and she would need every advantage. "Prepare," Yen Sid called, raising a hand. And with a quick chopping motion, he disappeared into a puff of smoke. The spar had begun.

Right off the bat, Kairi fired off a Triple Firaga. But her spells were deflected by Mickey as he leapt across the ring, Keyblade spinning. Kairi quickly blocked his strikes, his successive swings hammering into her Keyblade and batting aside her defense to knock her away and to the ground.

Yen Sid's many lessons on falling in battle kicking in, Kairi regained her footing with reflexive speed and fired off a Pearl spell. But her effort was blocked by Mickey, who had fired off an identical spell. Neither saw the two meet as they rushed each other. Kairi dove into a string of two-handed attacks, each one deflected or dodged by the King. At one point, he bodily leapt over her to strike at her back, only a quick Barrier saving her from the painful slash.

After some time, Kairi's stamina began to wane, her breathing coming in gasps. Mickey was fast! And not just that, his sheer agility left her in the dust. Every movement sent him spinning through the air, Keyblade swinging in an elegant dance that left her struggling to match.

After some time, Kairi had lost track soon after the start of the match, Mickey bounced away with a string of backflips to get some distance. "Light, give me power!" he called, his Keyblade beginning to shine. Mickey twirled his Keyblade, spinning in place to create a barrage of Pearls that swooped toward Kairi. Biting back a yelp, she worked to evade them, batting aside what she could not escape.

As the last Pearl swept past her, Kairi instinctively spun to intercept Mickey's next attack, twisting their Keyblades to get him to ground and to lock them together. "That's very good, Kairi," Mickey praised. "Even after a Rain of Pearls you had the awareness to protect your back." Without warning, Mickey leapt away from their standoff, his Keyblade disappearing in a flash, only to reappear in his grasp.

"Always remember," he said, "Keyblades can never be taken from you. Use that to your advantage." As if to demonstrate, Mickey gave a spinning leap and hurled his Keyblade toward her, spinning in a deadly wheel. On sheer reflex, she swung upward to intercept it and send it flying into the air, only for it to vanish and appear in Mickey's hand.

Mickey ran toward her and leapt for another lunge, his small form compact as he said toward her. Wait, small body! Kairi delved into her magic to perform an Aeroga spell, the winds lifting Mickey higher into the air. With a strong jump, she whirled toward him with a spinning slash, hoping to capitalize on his surprise.

But while she did catch Mickey off-guard, she recovered faster than she could have expected, batting away her attack to land solidly away from her. As she landed, Kairi spun into a guard stance, her body trembling with anticipation. But mickey held fast, eyes narrowed and a smirk on his lips.

"Freeze!" he finally shouted, waving his Keyblade to conjure a thin twister bulging with chunks of ice. The twister sped toward her, but Kairi blasted it with Triple Firaga to break it apart and rushed to try and strike at the King. Mickey met her blow for blow in his dance of spins, flips, and strikes, his Keyblade dazzling in the morning light.

After repeated clashes, Kairi made a fatal mistake. She overcommitted to a swing, mickey's evasion leaving her off-balance. And easy prey to Mickey's counterstrike, which sent her Keyblade spinning out of her hands. Before she could think to summon it back, Kairi was falling to land on her back, Mickey's black shoe on her chest and his Keyblade levelled at her nose.

Kairi could only lay there and try to catch her breath, her body aching from a dozen separate welts where Mickey had tagged her. And yet, after all of that, the King himself seemed none the worse for wear. It was only after she regained her breath that she picked up the unexpected sound of ... clapping.

Mickey's focused look melted into an easy smile and his Keyblade vanished. He stepped off of her and held out his hand, which she gladly took to allow him to drag her to her feet with surprising strength. Yen Sid approached them, his slow, deliberate claps fading away.

"Well done, Kairi," he surmised before glancing at Mickey. "And you, my former apprentice, have not lost your edge."

Mickey laughed and rubbed the back of his head in bashfulness. "Aw, well, I did learn from the best. And the last year hasn't really let me go soft." Mickey looked up to Kairi, his grin even wider. "I gotta say, miss Kairi, you're comin' along real nicely."

Kairi sighed in resignation, the bitter taste of defeat leaving her unwilling to accept his praise. "Your Majesty, you beat me without breaking a sweat," she noted. "And I'm pretty sure you were holding back."

"Well sure," he said, "but not a whole lot. Yen Sid asked me to spar with you, and that's what I did. I came at you like I would even the most hardened Keyblade Master, and you still put up a great fight! You should be proud of yourself!"

Kairi smiled, the burden on her heart lifting. Of course she hadn't won; Mickey was a full-on Keyblade Master. But if what he said was true, and she had no reason to think he would ever lie, she'd earned the respect of said Master. Not knowing what else to do, Kairi bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you, King Mickey." And silently, she vowed to do even better in their next spar.

* * *

In the abandoned mansion of Twilight Town, Namine scribbled in her sketchbook. Though she could go no further in repairing Sora's memory, not without the memories contained within Xion of the Organization, she was determined to do what she could. While she couldn't fill in the gaps, she could at least streamline the existing chains.

Which brought her to her current situation around a few of, what she liked to call, "defining memories". These kinds of memories, formed at a very young age, were responsible for defining traits in a persona's life and personality. For example, a boy who saw a knight fighting a group of criminals might be inspired to take up the sword himself as a force for good. A girl who bonded with her mother as the woman knitted might be nudged to become a seamstress in her adult life. And so and so forth.

These memories had been formed in Sora's chains some time before he met Kairi, and therefore had been unnecessary for her to meddle with during her time in captivity. What intrigued her was a trio of particular links in the chain, ones that shone golden rather than steely-blue. Out of curiosity, she had tried to rearrange them before, but they had resisted her efforts.

That in itself set them apart. Whatever these memories were, they had become so deeply ingrained into Sora's psyche, his very perception of himself, that he acted in defense of them without thinking. Upon closer inspection, Namine had realized that the Darkness in Sora's heart shrouded them, disguising their true power. In a very real sense, Sora had buried these memories within himself.

Coming back to herself, Namine set aside a finished picture of Sora flying across a great clock tower, surrounded by glittering dust, and left her room for DiZ's laboratory. As she descended into the dark lab, she idly glanced at DiZ as he typed away at the keyboard of the various monitors, deep in thought over a project he almost refused to discuss.

Finally, she arrived at the large room containing Sora's stasis pod, the faint image of Sora's sleeping peacefully, dreamlessly. Namine centered herself and dove into Sora's heart, just as she had many times before, and brought forth the mental image of Sora's memories. She pursed her lips at the sight of the gaps, but shook it off. She could do nothing about it now, and so would have to make do.

She focused on the protected memories, starting at the furthest back. The chains grew more indistinct the further back she went, through his toddler years and infancy. Finally, she arrived at the first defining memory … at the very beginning of the chain. Namine stared, mouth hanging open in shock. She took hold of the memory, but all she experienced was a … warmth in her heart. The memory was too far back to be anything more than that.

Namine sighed in acceptance and flew further down the chain. Two more defining memories were settled close together, as if they had been formed mere days apart. What could have happened to impact Sora so, especially in two separate events. Namine glanced between the memories, trying to decide which to examine first. With a shrug, she reached for the more recent memory.

* * *

 _Namine found herself on a familiar beach, one she had never experienced herself. This was Sora's home, Destiny Islands. The night sky was filled with shining stars, the sound of the waves soothing. Before her, apparitions of Sora and Riku, far younger than in the present, strode toward her. Namine gasped and giggled, they were so adorable!_

 _The duo passed through her as if she were not there, her presence merely a phantom observer. Riku stopped and glanced at his friend. "Sora, what's wrong?" he asked. Sora himself hummed in question, unsure of what Riku was talking about. "You're…" Riku started, gesturing to a single tear falling down the boy's cheek. Sora felt at the wet streak and started._

" _That's weird," Sora said. "It's like someone's squeezing me inside." Namine's eyebrows rose in surprise at the analogy._

" _Someone up there must be sad," Riku commented._

" _Up where?" Sora asked. Riku turned to face the beach, his gaze directed up at the night sky._

" _They say every world is connected by one great big sky," he explained. "So maybe there's somebody up there in all those worlds who's really hurting and they're waiting for you to help them." Namine took a step back in surprise. Riku had known about other worlds before he met Kairi?_

" _Well gee," Sora said, "do you think there's something I could do?"_

 _Riku hummed in thought, crossing his arms. "Maybe, they just need you to open your heart and listen."_

" _I dunno, Riku," Sora said. 'You say some weird stuff sometimes, but i'll try it." With that, Sora closed his eyes and opened his heart. Riku looked back to the night sky in support of his friend. It took a few moments for Namine to catch a faint empathic call._

Hey, can you hear me?

 _The surroundings changed in a swirl of color, like colors of paint mixing in a jar, to reveal young Sora standing on a Station of his heart. The pictures upon it depicted implements of island life: mushrooms, fishing gear, tools, a raft, a stylized lantern, and a paopu fruit, surrounded by a mural of the islands and a circle of crowns._

 _Sora glanced up, as if sensing something. "Hey, can you hear me?" he shouted. An orb of white light, a disembodied heart, floated through the void toward the boy._

" _I heard your voice," the heart said, in a voice that was hauntingly familiar. "It cut through the Darkness around me. All alone, I followed the sound, into a sea of Light … and found myself here, with you." Sora reached up and gently took the heart in his hands, nodding in the simple understanding of a child. "You gave me something back when I needed it most. A second chance."_

" _I did?" Sora asked innocently._

" _But," the voice said, "now I have to go back to sleep again."_

" _Are you sad?" Sora asked._

" _Would you mind," the voice asked, "if I stayed here with you?"_

" _Sure, if It'll make you feel better." Typical Sora, always looking out for others._

" _Thank you," the voice sighed. The heart gently floated toward Sora, the boy drawing it closer and into his own body._

 _The surroundings returned to the beach, and sora opened his eyes with a contented sigh. "Well?" Riku asked._

" _You know," Sora said, clasping his hands behind his head, "I think it worked." He chuckled to himself and Riku smiled, both of them gazing at the stars, the worlds, above them._

* * *

Namine started as the memory ended. She blinked a few times and shook her head, the details of the memory _fading away_. She remembered the gist of it, but the details, such as the sound of the heart's voice, slipped away from her. Probably just as well.

Namine glanced at the other memory and, after a moment of debate, took hold of it, as well.

* * *

" _Hey, wait up!"_

" _Too slow, Sora! See you at the finish line!"_

 _Sora and Riku were once again on the beach, the setting sun painting the sky in vibrant pinks and oranges over the smooth horizon. Riku kept a faint lead, Sora huffing and puffing behind him, unwilling to give up. As they crossed beneath the plank bridge to a smaller islet, Riku pumped his fist in victory as Sora leaned over to catch his breath._

" _One more time," Sora challenged. "You just got lucky." Only then did Sora realize Riku was looking up and past him, the younger boy turning to face whatever Riku was looking at. Namine, again merely an invisible observer, looked up as well. A froze in utter surprise._

 _Along the plank bridge strolled a beautiful young woman, likely in her late teens. She had bright blue hair cut short, framing her matching sapphire eyes and contrasting her fair skin. An elaborate uniform of predominantly black, dark blue, and creamy white did well to cover her, even as it emphasized her curvaceous figure. And marked her as a clear off-worlder._

 _The woman stopped on the bridge and looked upon Riku and Sora, giving a faint laugh before she gracefully leapt down from the suspended bridge to land before them. Sora leapt back in surprise, then chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in bashful shyness. Riku, as always, seemed unperturbed._

 _The woman glanced between the boys and laughed again, a melodious laugh of the kind-natured. Riku and Sora glanced at each other in confusion; what was she laughing about._

" _One of you might be special enough," the woman mused, seemingly to herself. She paused before addressing them directly. "Hey, you two mind telling me your names?"_

" _I'm Sora," Sora immediately piped up, hand in the air as if answering a question in school._

 _The woman nodded with a smile before looking to Riku. "And you?"_

" _Riku," was his only reply. The woman's gaze took on a thoughtful look, drawing another shared glance from Sora and Riku._

" _Sora, do you like riku?" the woman asked._

" _Of course I like him," Sora answered, without hesitation. "He's my best friend!"_

" _Good," the woman replied. "So then, if something happens and Riku is about to get lost ... or say he starts wandering down a dark path alone … you make sure to stay with him and keep him safe." A third confused glance was shared between the boys. "That's you job, Sora. And I'm counting on you to do it, okay?" The woman mussed their hair, drawing giggles from the boys before she looked at them one last time._

 _The she stood aside and motioned for them to head back to the dock, advising them to get back to the main shore before dark. The memory drew Namine along with them, her form gliding across the sand to follow. As the two boys reached the dock, Sora cast one last glance behind them for a final look at the mysterious woman whose words had moved his heart._

* * *

Namine started as she was jerked from her trance, coming back to reality. She shook her head as the recollection of those special memories began to grow dim, details blurring into simple, vague remembrance. She glanced up, realizing she had been kneeling, into the blindfolded gaze of Riku.

"Namine, are you alright?' he asked, his cool tone somehow still tinged with genuine concern.

Namine looked up at Sora's stasis pod as she seriously considered the question. "Yes," she said, after a few moments. "I'm fine." She stood with Riku's assistance and smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said.

Riku's head tilted to the side just a bit. "For what?"

"For being yourself," she answered vaguely before turning on her heel and leaving the chamber.

As she made her way back to her room, Namine focused on a single detail of Sora's defining memories. The woman with blue hair. Whoever she was, she had impacted Sora in more ways than one. The woman's words had planted a seed of purpose within the boy that had blossomed into undying loyalty to his friends, and unwavering determination to see them safe.

It was, in part, why he was so driven to find Riku (as ironic as it was that Riku was in the same mansion) and return him home. It was part of the reason he always jumped in to help others whenever he felt led to. Which was just about always. It wasn't the only reason, most of it was simply Sora being himself, but it reinforced that core aspect of him from such an early age.

And through it all, Namine felt her connection to Kairi react to the remembrance of the woman, like a warmth in her heart that she couldn't explain. Which, for her, begged a big question.

What was her story?

* * *

As the daylight began to fade around the Mysterious Tower, Kairi escorted Mickey to the edge of the isle. The King had already given farewells to his former Master, but had asked Kairi to join him for a little while longer. The King had spent most of the day teaching her a new aspect of Light known as Healing Light, a powerful spell that could revitalize a fallen ally. Kairi, not surprisingly, had quite enjoyed her lesson from the King.

As they neared the edge of the isle, Mickey turned to face her, his ever-present smile even wider than normal. "It was a pleasure meetin' ya, Kairi." He held out his hand to shake, to which Kairi eagerly reciprocated.

"It was great meeting you too, King Mickey!" She smirked and schooled her features into a playful scowl, wagging her finger at him. "You better visit Queen minnie. I know she misses you just as much as you miss her!" She only kept it up for a moment before giggling.

Mickey chuckled and gave a friendly salute. "When this is all over, I'll be more than happy to head home. But until then, I've got a job to do." he became serious. "That's what being a Keybearer is. We serve the worlds." His smile returned. "And then we go home until we're needed again."

Kairi nodded, then frowned. "Your Majesty, I have to ask ... " She took a deep breath before asking. "Are Sora and Riku okay? Really?"

Mickey glanced away, chewing on his words before nodding to himself and smiling at her. "They'll be alright. The best thing for you to do is to be ready for when they need you."

Kairi's eyes narrowed in determination and she nodded.

"See ya real soon, Kairi," Mickey said, before summoning his Keyblade. In a swirl of Dark fog, a Corridor of Darkness appeared and Mickey dove into it, just as it began to fade away.

Kairi stared at the place the Corridor had faded before glancing down at the waning light of the clouds beneath the isle. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling, drawing a chuckle from her. She began to make her way back to the tower, her worries pushed to the back of her mind by Mickey's words.

Whatever came next, she'd handle it like she always had. She just had to have faith. Faith in herself, in her friends, in her teachers, and in her Masters.

 **New chapter! Hope y'all liked it!**

 ***We never get to see much of Mickey's standard magic in-series, aside from one time Curing Ventus. Personally, I believe he's pretty great at it, having Yen Sid as his teacher.**

 ***Up until this fight, Kairi has faced either instinct-driven Heartless or data-simulation in the Mirage Arena. I hope I captured the still-remaining gap between them and a tactical, highly-trained opponent like King Mickey. Kairi's doing well, but she's still far from perfect.**

 ***Mickey's "Light give me power" exclamation and him teaching "Healing Light" are references to KH2, when you can fight as Mickey against certain bosses. Most notably Xaldin.**

 ***Namine's foray into Sora's older memories has always been a curiosity of mine, since BBS. I figured she probably didn't meddle that far back since he hadn't met Kairi that far. But BBS wasn't subtle about Aqua's words or Ventus's presence being a strong influence on young Sora. ***For continutity's sake, Namine only remembers the broad strokes of those memories. She won't, for example, connect Roxas to Ventus by voice.**

 ***Mickey's use of a Dark Corridor is my own head-canon. How else does he get from one world to another in KH2? That's the only thing I could think of, and the creators have said that his use of the Kingdom Key D makes him immune to corruption by Darkness.**

 **As always, leave a review! I love hearing from you all!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Over the several weeks that followed Mickey's visit, Kairi's lessons seemed to slow down in a way. Yen Sid explained that she had, as far as he was concerned, reached a point in her training in which she could pursue her training in her own way without him having to watch over her shoulder.

Given that she often found him in the Tower basement conjuring spirits and working with alchemical devices she couldn't begin to grasp, she assumed he also wanted to get back to his own "studies".

But Kairi took this decision in stride. Given she basically had free-reign over the tower, she spent most of her time either practicing her swordsmanship or refining her magic. In her arcane studies, particularly, she was determined to become "economical", to instinctively use only as much magic as necessary for any given spell. Yen Sid had mentioned several times that even journeyman-level spellcasters had a bad habit of using too much raw power in spells, and thus wasting their reservoirs. It equated to anything from a cup to a drop of magic per spell, but even drops could add up at any time, usually the worst.

In addition to her physical and mental refinement, which took place largely in the mornings and early afternoons, Kairi spent her evenings perusing Yen Sid's vast arcane library, which consisted of far more than spellbooks. The library contained volumes collected from scores of worlds, everything from histories to books on flora and fauna native to them. And Kairi was beyond thrilled to read about the worlds that spread across the night sky.

And as she kept herself in shape and broke ground on new skills, her Master was investigating something quite troubling.

* * *

One of Yen Sid's Doors, one carved from ebony and decorated with a lush forest along the base and a castle above it, all centered around a spinning wheel, opened to allow Yen Sid onto the emerald grass near a brook. The aged sorcerer, from sheer habit if nothing else, cast out his arcane senses to find any lurking threats.

He doubted it from this place, but one could never really know. And he hadn't lived as long as he had by being careless.

The tranquility of the clearing calmed him down, as did the residue of magic from a trio of trusted friends. The three good fairies had lived here for sixteen years and, even without using their magic for that time, they had left a faint mark upon this place. Not to mention the sense of Light left by their ward, the Princess Aurora.

And yet, even through all of that, Yen Sid's gaze hardened as he turned west toward the looming shape of the Forbidden Mountain. The great landmark stood surrounded by threatening clouds even without Maleficent's influence. Some places were like that, more in tune with the Darkness than their surroundings, more conducive to its power. But something about it was … not natural. And Yen Sid _knew_ unnatural.

Something was _wrong_ with that place.

Even as he thought so, three small orbs of light, red, blue, and green between them, floated down to his eye level before darting away and growing into the forms of the good fairies. "Flora, Fauna, Merryweather," Yen Sid greeted.

"Master Yen Sid," Flora smiled, acting as leader of the trio. "I'm certain a sorcerer of your caliber knows why we asked you here?" That was something of an in-joke between the fairies and the sorcerer, a friendly rivalry over whose magic was more useful. Not more powerful, Yen Sid's range of mastery far outclassed the trio's fixation of "good" things, but more apt to any situation. It was all in good fun, of course, and Yen Sid smiled.

"Yes," the smile dropped, "and I believe I know what has caused it."

"Maleficent," Merryweather growled. Who else in this lovely world would cause such misery, even in death?

Yen Sid frowned in partial disagreement. "While there is little doubt that she has some hand in these events, I doubt it was of her intent. The aura that emanates from her former stronghold is too … chaotic. Maleficent was cruel and ruthless, but she was also meticulous. She would never allow one of her gambits to become so disjointed."

The trio of fairies glanced at each other, mulling over Yen Sid's words and realizing the logic in them. "So what do we do, Master Yen Sid?" Fauna asked.

Yen Sid stroked his beard as he pondered the question. He had to admit that some part of him yearned to take care of this himself, to strike out with his Keyblade in hand and cleanse the feral Darkness that plagued the borders of Enchanted Dominion. But he had doffed that mantle, and was insistent with himself to hold fast to that decision.

Of course, he was not alone. And this would be a perfect time to test his apprentice's grasp of the Light.

* * *

While the practice of testing Keyblade apprentices with various Trials was uncommon, tradition was a large part of being a Keybearer. Or, at least, it had been when there had been more of them. As such, each practice had its own traditions to keep.

One for the Trials was for the Master to accompany the apprentice on their first bout, as a last resort should the apprentice be overwhelmed, which Yen Sid had done for Kairi in the Dwarf Woodlands. Another was to meditate on a prospective Trial for a minimum of three days before execution. As such, Yen Sid had spent the three days since his reconnaissance mission to Enchanted Dominion weighing the benefits and possible consequences of this course of action.

After the designated time of contemplation, the old sorcerer came to a conclusion.

"You wanted to see me, Master?" Kairi asked, poking her head in through his office door. Yen Sid gestured for her to enter and sit on a high-backed chair he had conjured for her. As soon as she was settled, Yen Sid steepled his fingers and prepared to give her her orders.

"You have done well under your own guidance these last few weeks, my apprentice," Yen Sid said. "As such, I have decided to assign your third and final Trial." His gaze turned icy. "Do not misunderstand me. Completion of this Trial will not mean you are ready for the Mark of Mastery. Truly, it simply means you are ready to handle assignments without my supervision."

Kairi nodded. "I understand, Master Yen Sid," she answered, and he could tell she meant it.

"Very good. Tomorrow you will be sent to the world known as Enchanted Dominion. There, you will meet with the three good fairies, who will aide you in this test."

"Aide me?" Kairi asked. "I thought that these Trials were supposed to be tests for _me_?"

"That is true," Yen Sid agreed, "including your ability to cooperate with the locals of different worlds. Quite frankly, it is a rare gift for a Keybearer to be able to work seamlessly with the citizens of a world to achieve their goals. Most of them, even among Masters, preferred to act on their own, assured of their own skills." His communion with the stars had shown that the boy Sora possessed an uncanny talent in that regard.

"The three good fairies will guide you to the Forbidden Mountain, the abandoned stronghold of the black fairy Maleficent." Kairi gasped and sat up straighter, the color draining from her face as fractured memories of a great black dragon flashed across her mind's eye. It took her a few moments to gather herself, after which Yen Sid continued.

"It is good that you have some idea of the nature of Maleficent. While she was vanquished by Sora, it seems that the scars of her conquest remained in her home world. Preserved by its time in the Dark Realm, these wounds have been allowed to fester in the time since the worlds were restored. Your task will be to locate these wounds and cleanse them, to purge Maleficent's mark upon that world." He took a moment for that to sink in. "Am I clear?"

Kairi swallowed thickly and hardened her gaze. "Yes, Master Yen Sid."

* * *

After her assignment, Yen Sid had suggested that Kairi take the rest of the day to rest and mentally prepare herself for her Trial. Kairi had taken that advice to heart, something in his body language or tone suggesting that this Trial would be … on an utterly different level.

As the light cast upon the floating isle wound down into night, Kairi entered her room for the night. Her hair was damp from her recent shower and she glanced at the clothes neatly folded on her bedside table, ready for the morning. Her bag lay next to the table, loaded with rations and a selection of potions and ethers, as well as her journal. Whatever she encountered in Enchanted Dominion, she wanted to record it while it was fresh.

Another book, made of pages of pressed bamboo and bound with horse-hair thread, lay open on Kairi's book was filled with diagrams of an androgynous figure in various faux-martial poses, the descriptions and instructions written in a language of "characters". Kairi smiled at the thought of her first translation spell that had resulted in a separate page filled with gibberish. She had since perfected the spell, and the book itself was covered in a phantom text of her own language.

The book, from a world known as "Land of Dragons", was about an art called tai chi. Kairi had found the book near the beginning of her time of self-education and had decided to try it out. She had continued the practice to relax after her training. And right now, she needed to relax.

Before she began, Kairi idly glanced up at the full-length mirror on one wall of her room … and paused in surprise. Since the first few weeks of her apprenticeshop, she had usually been too focused or tired to really examine herself. And now … now she hardly recognized the figure in her mirror.

Her arms and legs were toned to steel cord, the lean muscle of a swimmer or runner. She was too slim to really pack on muscle, but the definition of her muscles showed she was far from weak. She lifted her shirt to find her abdominal muscles more defined as well, if not a "six-pack".

But what struck her more than her differences in muscle, which she had somewhat expected, was the changes everywhere else. Her hair was no longer near-crimson, having darkened somewhat to an almost auburn color. It was longer, too, reaching just past her shoulders. The contours of her face had become less soft, the last traces of baby fat stripped away by adolescence and her training, even as her lips had become more plump, their color darker.

And more than anything was the changed in her figure. Kairi resisted the urge to clasp her hands before herself as she fully realized _those_ changes. Her hips were wider, her bust more shapely. She had, during her time at the Mysterious Tower, truly begun to grow.

 _I wonder what Sora would think of me now,_ she idly thought before brushing these musings away. For now, she had to focus on her upcoming Trial. With a soft flick of magic, Kairi turned the pages to the first poses of her kata and began to smoothly mimic the movements, flowing through them like waves upon the shore.

Her mind stilled as her body acted on carefully cultivated muscle memory, and her magical core began to stir. She gently urged it on, extending her senses outward as the book instructed. Unbeknownst to her, her ever-present necklace began to gently glow. As Kairi finished the sequence, she gasped as she felt her balance waver. As if she were being lifted from her feet …

* * *

The sound of the surf soothed Aqua's nerves as she walked down the beach of the Dark Margin. Her metal shoes lay against the boulder scored with the tallies of her visits to this place, barely visible in the distance. Another monolith marked the end of the ebony beach before they transitioned to great crags that loomed over the dark waves.

' _Four hundred and eighty-two, four hundred and eight-three, four hundred and eighty-four',_ she mentally counted, before turning on her heel and pacing back from the last count. As she arrived at the scored stone, she reached out and brushed the vaguely organic-looking rock with the tips of her fingers, just as she reached a count of zero paces. Four hundred and eighty-four paces, twenty-two squared. It seemed the Dark Realm was not entirely devoid of order.

Aqua sighed and turned to the face the tide … and froze at the sight of a familiar figure standing in the water. The figure looked around as if confused before turning to face her, revealing Kairi. The girl smiled and drew nearer, stopping only within arms length.

"Master Aqua," Kairi smiled, hands clasped behind her back as if to hold herself off from embracing her.

"Kairi," Aqua replied. "What are you doing here?" Not that she was displeased, it was just a surprise. Kairi opened her mouth to answer, paused, and closed it again. Aqua chuckled at the act, reminded of days when she and Terra, too, tended to try answering the Master without thinking first.

"Maybe it's because of my Trial," Kairi said, largely to herself.

"Trial?" Aqua prompted.

"Yes. Master Yen Sid is sending me on my third Trial." She ran her fingers through her hair, a technique of self-soothing. "And something tells me this is gonna be the toughest one yet."

"Really," Aqua commented. "Hmm, I don't have any frame of reference for that." She smiled and gracefully knelt on the black sand, gesturing for Kairi to do the same. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

Kairi smiled and settled onto the beach as well before launching into the tales of her first two Trials. Aqua listened intently as Kairi described her adventures, the girl taking time to mention her clues about the visits from Aqua and her friends years before.

As she moved into the battles with the Heartless she had fought, Kairi tried to downplay her actions. She was many things, but boastful was not one of them. And frankly, something told her that her victories were rather minor in comparison to har Predecessor's battles so long ago.

After an indeterminable amount of time, Kairi finally got to the question that had plagued her through it all. "What do you I'll find in my next Trial?"

"That depends," Aqua replied, "on where you are going."

"Master Yen Sid called it 'Enchanted Dominion'," Kairi ventured.

Aqua's mouth fell open in shock … before she held back a chuckle. Of course. Of course! Aqua and her friends had encountered three Princesses of Heart on their journey; it only made sense that Kairi would bring that arc full-circle.

Kairi narrowed her eyes, even as she smiled. "You've been there, haven't you," she commented. It wasn't a question.

"I have," Aqua admitted, her smile fading to a look of seriousness. "Once in the Realm of Light, and once in this place." Kairi paled at the thought of her Predecessor encountering worlds she knew in the Dark Realm. How would it feel to see something familiar plunged into blackened ruin? She didn't want to know.

"And to answer your question," Aqua continued, "there's no telling what you'll find. There is no doubt in my mind that the dark fairy I encountered there was involved in the falling of the worlds. _Maleficent_." She growled out the name of the monster who had poisoned her faith in Terra. "And given her Dark powers, there's no telling the horrors she created, nor the effects of their time in this Realm."

Kairi swallowed thickly, dread rising again in her heart. She started from her thoughts by aqua's hand on her shoulder, looking up into the deep, compassionate gaze of her rightful Master.

"But I have faith that you will overcome it, Kairi. Just trust in the Light, and you will overcome the deepest Darkness."

Kairi's eyes watered and she nodded, just as her form began to dissolve into motes of gold to be scattered into the wind of the Dark Realm. Aqua gazed at the motes for as long as she could before shaking herself and laying down in the sand.

Kairi's visits may remind her of what she was missing, but it still brightened her time here. She only wished she could see her Successor in the flesh.

But, as the old saying went, all things come in their own time.

* * *

As dawn began to break before the Mysterious Tower, Kairi shot from her bed and snatched her journal to record her dream. True, it wasn't exactly a dream since she was really talking to Master Aqua, but it just made sense to call it that.

After a half hour of writing, she nodded and tucked the journal away into her bag. She went through her morning routine with forced slowness, the familiarity steadily beating back her nerves at her next test. After making sure she had everything she needed in the bag slung across her shoulder, Kairi reported in to Master Yen Sid.

After giving some last-minute advice on what she may find at the Forbidden Mountain, Yen Sid produced his Star Shard for her to use. Kairi nodded in thanks, the Shard activating out of nowhere to envelope her in light and send her hurtling through the window of Yen Sid's office.

Having experienced the effects of the Star Shard before, Kairi was able to keep herself calmer than her previous journeys. After the familiar blend of an instant and an eternity, Kairi felt the Shard flare again to allow her to land on solid ground.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Kairi stood and looked around to find herself in a beautiful forest. Sunbeams shone through gaps in the foliage to illuminate jade-green bushes and towering trees. Oaks, she thought.

She turned in place and stopped at the sight of a cottage built _into_ a massive tree, surrounded on three sides by a line of cliffs level with the cottage roof. A stream fed by a large spigot in the cliffside gurgled by, the water from the spigot gently spinning a waterwheel.

Before she could wonder exactly where she was, a small sphere of red light whisked past her, joined by ones in blue and green. The lights swirled together and landed, growing to reveal a trio of matronly ladies in fine garments, the tiny wings on their backs and the wands in their hands revealing their identities.

"Hello, dear," the fairy in red greeted.

"It's wonderful to meet you," the green lady agreed.

"It's been too long since a Keybearer came to our home," the one in blue said.

"Hi," Kairi greeted, before putting a finger to her lip. "Don't tell me …" she considered the fairies before her. "Flora," she pointed at the lead fairy in red, "Fauna," the one in green on the left, "and Merryweather," the one in blue on the right.

"Oh, such a clever girl," Fauna commented.

Kairi giggled as a thought crossed her mind, drawing confused looks from the fairies. "I'm sorry, it's just, well, doesn't 'flora mean 'plants' and 'fauna' mean 'animals'?" She gestured at Flora and Fauna's clothes. "Then shouldn't your colors be switched?" She glanced at Merryweather. "Your color makes sense though."

Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather glanced at each other, considering Kairi's words before they all chuckled. Oh yes, they officially all liked this girl.

Before anyone could say anything else, Kairi's Keyblade materialized in her right hand. That could only mean … She glanced at the good fairies, who had all floated a few feet into the air. "Now, all together, dears," Flora said. With identical flicks of their wrists, the fairies each shot a streamer of magic into the cliff behind the cottage.

The streams of magic wove together, blending the colors of red, green, and blue into a uniform white that burst and illuminated the glowing outline of a Keyhole. With a confident smirk and the assurance of routine, Kairi lifted Destiny's Embrace to allow motes of white Light to gather about its tip before firing off and Sealing the Keyhole. With a solid click, the Keyhole faded away to leave only a faint impression of its shape.

"Is that all?" Kairi asked out loud. "If that was the third Trial, I was worried for nothing." Wait, Yen Sid hadn't said anything about the Keyhole. He'd said-

"Oh no, dear," Merryweather said. "Your task isn't down here." She gestured up, drawing Kairi's attention to a bleak outline that stretched above the treeline. It took her a moment to realize it was the image of a distant mountain.

"It's up there."

 **This was originally supposed to be a lot longer and cover Kairi's 3rd Trial, but inspiration struck.**

 **What did you all think? What do you think she's gonna find in the Forbidden Mountain? Is she ready to face it?**

 ***The thing with Flora and Fauna's names is something that I noticed when I was about eleven. It's true that flora means plant life and fauna means animals. Given that green is associated with plants and red with animals (as in blood), it would make a lot more sense for their names and/or color schemes to be switched. Gotta wonder if this was intentional or a mistake on 50's-era Disney's part.**

 ***The thing with the Dark Margin being twenty-two-squared steps was originally supposed to be Terra's age squared, and Aqua would wonder at the coincidence. But we don't get Terra's age, nor his friends (or anyone else besides a handful in the first game's strategy guide). I think he's probably nineteen or twenty, with Aqua being one or two years younger and Ven sixteen. But nineteen-squared (361) seemed too small a number. Oh well, what're you gonna do?**

 ***Kairi's book on tai chi came from the Land of Dragons, Mulan's world. Tai chi really was created in China. Just a little thought that I ran with. And book pages really were made from pressed shavings of dried bamboo in ancient china before they invented paper.**

 ***Yen Sid's friendly rivalry with the three fairies just popped into my head. I think it's a nice way for them to banter.**

 ***Some of you may be thinking that the three fairies didn't remember Maleficent in KH2, and actually tried to keep from remembering her. I assume she used their memories as an anchor to return to the real world, but we never got a real explanation for why they forgot in the first place. Rest assured, that WILL come up in the next chapter, which WILL chronicle Kairi's 3rd Trial.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed it! As always, leave a review! I love hearing from you guys!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

The path to the pass that led to the Forbidden Mountain was much shorter than Kairi had anticipated. Given its seeming distance, she had expected to walk for the rest of the day, if not longer to even reach the base. But within an hour's walk, the forest ended in a huge stone arch that heralded the trail toward the ominous peak.

"It's the dark magics surrounding the mountain," Fauna explained. "Maleficent cast a spell to make the mountain seem farther off to deter anyone attacking it."

"Not that she actually feared any attack," Merryweather scoffed. "She only wanted to deter them so that she wouldn't have to deal with it every other day."

Those words, frankly, did not lift Kairi's spirits about her mission. She began to ponder exactly how much magic would be needed to cast an illusion spell over something so huge as a mountain, and the logistics of it made her head spin. Of course, Maleficent had been a fairy, a creature tied far more closely to magic than humans.

But Maleficent's strength wasn't what concerned her. What concerned her was the amount of magic and Darkness that had been put into the spell itself. Because _that_ was the raw magic and Darkness that had festered on the mountaintop.

Kairi growled and shook away those bleak thoughts and summoned Destiny's Embrace. This was her advantage. She was a Keybearer, the Successor of Master Aqua and student of Master Yen Sid! Whatever this Trial gave her, she would not fail. With a deep breath, she hefted the weapon over her shoulder and redoubled her pace.

As they passed through the stone arch and onto the trail, Kairi grimaced and bit back a gasp at the sheer dark presence of the mountain. Darkness pressed onto her heart like a great weight, its bitter presence like frost in her veins. But Kairi pressed on, tapping into her own inner Light, and the cold and weight faded away.

The three fairies, flying around her, watched with surprise as the faint tint of Darkness that surrounded the mountain burned away in Kairi's presence, like a torch through fog. They each smiled in approval and floated in closer to her and her faint protection.

As they approached the fortress at the mountain's peak, Kairi lessened her draw on her Light, conserving it for the task ahead. Yen Sid had ordered her to cleanse the Darkness, the heavy presence that she could _feel_ in her bones surrounding this place. And while her Light was stronger than most by her very nature, and further strengthened by her training, she held no illusions that she would need everything she had in order to do so.

As the group finally entered the courtyard of the stronghold, Kairi looked around at the state of it. The place was virtually in ruins. She wondered, briefly, what this place had looked like when it had first been built. Had it been a place of strength, or had it always attracted the Darkness?

Taking hold of her thoughts, Kairi looked to the fairies as they resumed their normal sizes. Or maybe their real sizes were when they were small? Ugh, this wasn't the time for questions on the nature of fairies! "Ladies, can you sense where the presence of Darkness is thickest?" she asked. True, she could sense the Darkness, but her ability to hone in on its strength was less than ideal. She'd have to work on that after this.

"This way," Flora directed as she and the others made toward the central hall. Kairi fell into step as the trio led the way, mentally preparing her magic for whatever lay ahead. Some instinct told her that this would not be so simple as cleansing the Darkness. There was something here, some force that had a … consciousness of its own.

And it did not like them being here.

The three fairies finally stopped in a large round chamber shaped almost like a kind of arena. The room spread in a circle near the walls before falling into a depression for the rest. Across the depression lay another entrance, the left of the walkway rising in a staircase that led to an alcove holding what had been a large throne.

Kairi considered trying to begin her cleansing at the throne under the logic that it had been where Maleficent had spent much of her time, but rejected the thought. If she were to practice dark magic, she would want to do it with as much room as possible, and as far from her presumably precious throne as she could. With something of a plan in mind, Kairi led the way to the center of the chamber and once again began to tap into her Light.

Just as she started to harness it, the room lurched and began to shake. The cobblestone beneath her feet began to tremble, as if something were clawing its way up from underneath them. The three fairies shouted her name in alarm before casting magic to pull her from the center of the room. Kairi spun and landed in a roll to get to her feet, steeling her nerves for whatever was about to attack.

A crash of shattering stone echoed behind them, the dust fading to reveal massive branches of black thorns filling both of the exits. Without a pause, the center of the bowl exploded with greenish-black flames, forcing Kairi to conjure a Barrier to ward them off. The flames receded just as quickly to reveal more brambles growing, weaving together to coalesce into something humanoid in shape.

The entity before them was huge, its shoulders level with the upper portions of the room holding the throne. The black brambles, as thick as Kairi's thigh, were woven together to form vicious clawed arms and legs still fused to the ground, all bristling with wicked thorns. Its chest glowed with that sickly green fire, like a vile mockery of a heart, even as putrid smoke emanated from it.

But worst was its head. The brambles twisted into a visage imitating a cross between a hollowed out tree and a jawless skull, its cheekbones quite prominent and massive thorns curling into horns like its mistress. And its eyes burned, both with the same green light as its chest … and with searing hatred.

With a deafening roar, the monstrosity called forth a challenge to them. "Briar Wraith," Kairi whispered, the name a spur-of-the-moment thing. One had to admit that it fit.

The Wraith reared back and thrust its head forward, green flames roaring toward them. A quick Barrier blocked them, the effort to hold it making Kairi's arms tremble just as if she were holding a great weight. With an effort of will, Kairi shattered her Barrier, the magical shards seeming to surprise it.

Capitalizing on that, Kairi ran around the walkway of the chamber toward the upper portion, hoping to nullify its height advantage. But the Wraith anticipated and lunged an arm at her. Kairi, having somewhat expected that, fell into a slide underneath it and slashed at the appendage with her Keyblade bathed in Light.

The Wraith flinched and brought its arm back, brambles quickly growing to repair it. With that done, the monster hissed and summoned fires to its hand. With a wave, globs of fire scattered across the room to limit her maneuverability.

Kairi erected a Barrier to ward off the flames that landed near her, thinking furiously for her next move. "A little help would be great, ladies!" she shouted, hoping the fairies hadn't abandoned her.

No sooner had she cried out than the telltale orbs of light began to circle the creature, sparks of magic flying from them to strike at its massive frame. But Kairi could tell that those sparks were like bee stings to a bear, annoying but not debilitating. And she had not doubt that it would soon realize that she was the bigger threat to it.

Choosing to make use of the fairies' distraction, Kairi harnessed her Light and channeled it through her Keyblade in a specific pattern. With a shout of effort, she flicked her Keyblade forward to send a weave of Keychains upon the Wraith. The chains wrapped around its limbs and tightened, restricting its movements just as it had attempted to do to her even as the chains burned the creature. With evermore effort that left sweat on Kairi's brow, she tightened and _locked_ the net of chains, lashing its limbs to its sides.

Kairi collapsed to one knee and heaved in breaths, the effort of casting so many Keychains having drained her quickly. After a few seconds, she shook it off and leapt from the alcove to begin her offensive. The Keychains were strong, especially after her last few weeks of practice, but there was no way they would hold for very long.

Tapping into her magic, Kairi fired of a Triple Firaga, followed by Triple Blizzaga and Thunder Shot. She ducked under one of the Wraiths flailing attempts to smash her and lashed out with her Keyblade to leave a thick gash. But the spells had left less damage than she had hoped, its potency weakened by the dark magic that animated its target.

Resolving that Light was the best way to defeat it, Kairi charged her Keyblade for Ars Arcanum, hacking away at the Wraith with strokes of Light. Ragnarok followed, the arrows of Light leaving deep punctures in its frame. A string of Pearls kept the ante up, leaving swaths of brambles burned away.

While she seemed to be doing well, Kairi realized that she was growing steadily weaker. Her magic regenerated on its own, but her Light was different. It would grow again, but it took far longer. And the more Light she used, the weaker her body became to compensate.

As Kairi drew back to cast Curaga, the Wraith twisted and heaved against its bonds, the Keychains shattering in an explosion of Maleficent's fire. A reflexive Barrier saved her life, but the force of the explosion knocked her back for it to shatter against the wall of the arena. And he to crash into it as well.

Kairi pushed down the nausea that writhed in her gut, forcing her legs to move. To stay down was to stay dead! Kairi lunged into a roll, just in time to avoid a devastating punch from the Wraith. She stumbled and rolled away, every part of her aching. A quick Curaga washed away most of the pain, but a swipe of the Wraith's arm caught her and sent her flying.

Kairi slammed once again into one of the walls and landed in a quivering pile. Pain wracked her every muscle, and she had a feeling somewhere in the depths of her mind that a few bones were broken. Her vision was swimming, stilling only to show her the Briar Wraith looming over her. With horrifying grace, it lifted an arm to smash her into jelly. And try as she might, Kairi couldn't bring her abused body to move away.

The creature swung down — and met a circular shield of red, green, and blue light. The shield shattered, but the force was directed back at the Wraith to send it drawing back with a shriek. Magic washed over her, knitting her muscles and bones back into working order. Kairi gritted her teeth and forced herself to rise, summoning Destiny's Embrace back to her hand.

"Together!" Flora shouted, each of the fairies agreeing even though they looked as tired as Kairi felt. With a nod of affirmation, Kairi harnessed her magic, her reserves all-but full. On instinct, she wreathed her Keyblade in all three powers of fire, ice, and lightning before leveling it at the Briar Wraith.

With a fearsome cry, Kairi unleashed her stored magic, every drop of power she possessed channeled into one massive spell that was fired into the air. The three fairies cast their own glittering magics, the strands of power swirling around hers and binding it together, strengthening and amplifying it even as they guided it in an arc to hit its target.

With a crack like thunder, the combined spell struck the Briar Wraith in the center of its mass, lancing from the crown of its head to the cobblestones beneath and leaving nothing but ash and flailing arms in its wake. And yet even as they watched, tenuous brambles began to rise from the smoldering ruins.

Oh no. Not again.

With another cry, Kairi leapt from the edge of the walkway and drove her Keyblade into the shattered cobbles. The fairies surrounded her in a ring of lights and channeled their magic to bolster her power. An intricate array of runes formed around her Keyblade, one matching images from her memories of Sora's journey. And with a twist of her Keyblade, as if turning a lock, Light spilled out from the ground to sear away any Darkness in its wake.

* * *

Princess Aurora, having taken the day to listen to take civil cases from her citizens, stood from her throne as a faint ripple of Light washed over her. One that she could feel was merely the result of a far greater power. Oblivious to Phillip's calling her name, she rushed to the nearest window to look at the Forbidden Mountain, where she was sure it had come from.

The princess gasped as the miasma of Darkness that had always surrounded the mountain, visible only to her, had been seared away and replaced by a faint glimmer of Light. The Light had already started to fade, but the results were beyond evident.

'What has happened?' Aurora wondered, placing a hand over her heart. 'And why does my heart feel … warm?'

* * *

From the top of the castle's highest tower, a figure shrouded in a Black Coat watched the blaze of light erupt from the abandoned stronghold of the Forbidden mountain, wincing away from its radiance like looking into the sun. Small but so, so _bright_.

"Hmph, seems ol' Xemnas was right after all. Something really did happen here." With a click, the figure separated his sniper-cannon into its two smaller components, no longer needing the scope. "Better make my report." With a swirl of Darkness, the figure disappeared into a Dark Corridor.

* * *

Kairi collapsed to her knees, only her Keyblade acting as a makeshift cane keeping her in any way upright. Searing heat flowed through her veins, her body trembling with the after-effects of using so much magic at once.

After what felt like ages, but was probably only a few moments, something washed away the worst of it, like ink dissolving in a stream of cool water. Kairi managed to get her feet under her, looking up to find the three good fairies watching her with concern. Each of them looked haggard, dark bags under their eyes and the faint wrinkles around their eyes more prominent.

"Kairi?" Fauna prodded.

"I'll be alright," she bit out, hissing as a deep ache began to settle in her bones.

"You should be proud of yourself, Kairi," Flora said. "Few mages with less than a year's experience could have handled so much raw magic. And few warriors could have struck down such a fearsome creature."

Kairi attempted to smile in thanks, though she had an idea it looked more like a pained grimace.

"Merryweather? What's the matter, dear?" Fauna asked. The shortest fairy turned to face them, her complexion ashen and her eyes wide with fright. "The Darkness. It's … it's returning."

Kairi was silent for a moment before crying out, "Oh come on!" Seriously, after all that the Darkness was coming back?! "Is there anything we can do?!" She hadn't meant to shout, but she was exhausted and her patience was fraying.

The three fairies seemed to take her fit of temper in stride, merely considering her question. "This place is deeply intertwined with the memories of Maleficent's evil. Memories have greater power than most know, and as long as those memories exist, this place will remain a focal point for the people's fear of her, and therefore her power."

Kairi stood up straighter as an idea came to mind. "So, can you … I don't know … suppress the memories of Maleficent? Maybe that would keep this place from doing Dark again."

The fairies looked to each other as they considered Kairi's words. "It may work," Fauna replied, "but we don't have that kind of power."

"Especially not at the moment," Merryweather added, gesturing to their evident state of exhaustion.

Kairi growled in frustration, tears beginning to prickle her eyes. A small part of her, the part that was still a little girl from Radiant Garden, wanted to just curl up and let someone else handle it. But she wouldn't give up! There had to be a way! If Sora's journey had taught her anything, it's that there was always a way!

Out of habit, Kairi clutched at her necklace as she thought furiously, the cool pearl pendant helping her calm down. Pendant … Kairi's eyes widened as a crazy thought struck her. Maybe Master Aqua could help her! Perhaps not literally, but maybe she knew something that could help!

With a grunt of effort, Kairi sat and bent her legs into a lotus position, gripping her pendant as she focused her mind to try and make contact with Aqua. She breathed deeply and evenly, gently brushing aside her sore muscles, aching bones, and tiredness with practiced ease. Her best shot at contacting Aqua was probably her heart. So if she let herself fall into her heart ...

* * *

Kairi felt herself come to as she gently descended through the murky void of a Dive. A glow above her caught her eye, resolving into her familiar Station of Heart. She gracefully turned to land feet-first and focused herself. She had to contact Aqua, she had to-

A faint shine above her drew her attention. Kairi blanched at the sight of a second Station above her, like a mirror to her own. On it sat a girl that looked like her, only with flaxen blonde hair and a white dress, a paopu fruit in her hand. Images of Sora, Riku, and a man wrapped in red bandages decorated the surface, emphasized by a mural of a crashing wave.

Kairi yelped as she gently floated toward the other Station, turning without meaning to to land upon it. As soon as she touched its surface, Kairi hissed as flashes of memory bombarded her mind's eye, washing over her without sticking, like a river over stones. And through it all, she felt a warmth in her heart, a sense of familiarity … and a link to a power she somehow innately understood.

A power over memory.

* * *

Kairi's eyes, her real eyes, shot open as she rose from her stance, a faint glow accenting her skin. Her body seemed to flicker, the image of a girl with blonde hair superimposed over her skin.

With an instinct not her own, Kairi focused on her memories from Sora's heart, memories of Maleficent. Without thinking, strands of her consciousness shot forward and connected to each of the three fairies, mixing their memories and impressions of the dark fairy with hers.

And with a cry of both triumph and fear, in a process utterly unlike anything she had ever felt, guided by a force she couldn't understand, Kairi _willed_ everyone connected to Maleficent to bury their memories in the deepest recesses of their heart.

She willed them to _forget_.

* * *

A piercing scream sliced through the air of the abandoned mansion, throwing Riku off-balance. "Namine!" he shouted as he bolted up the steps, closely followed by the visiting Xion.

Riku kicked open the door and halted in shock, Xion gasping with terror. Namine lay sprawled across the floor, as if knocked from her chair … and she was fading! Strands of nothingness oozed from her trembling form, her breathing visibly quickened.

Acting on instinct, Riku scooped her up and focused his magic on her, Xion kneeling down and following his example. Their magics seemed to help, but only a little. She was still fading, the pace merely slowed.

"Memories!" Xion shouted as an idea formed. "Namine, don't forget who you are!" Maybe that was one of the dangers of being a Nobody like them: forgetting. They had few memories to hold on to, to keep them grounded in reality. "You are Namine!" Xion repeated, almost frantically.

"Namine," Riku said, his tone as hard as the earth itself, brooking no argument.

They continued to sit like that, holding onto Namine and chanting her name, reminding her of who she was. Not her Other, but herself. After some time, it seemed to work, Namine's physical form returning to solidity.

After setting Namine back to the ground to rest, she whispered as if in a fever dream, "Tired."

Had that been it? Had she lost her energy? How? Riku hummed as he considered the possibilities. There was no way her work with Sora's memories could drain her like that. Not so quickly. So what had caused something this drastic?

"What is going on in here?" a deep voice inquired. Riku suppressed a growl at the sight of DiZ entering the room. Great, just what they needed. "And what, pray tell, has befallen Namine?"

"She was fading," Xion explained. "But we kept reminding her who she was and she got … better." The last word was spoken as if unsure. Of course, when it came to Nobodies, none of them could be sure what was "better".

"It will happen eventually," DiZ scoffed. "After all, Nobodies were never meant to exist anyway."

Xion gasped at the man's callous words.

"Get out," Riku snarled. "Leave!" Darkness wreathed Riku's outstretched fingers as his temper flared.

"As you wish," DiZ sighed before departing.

Xion swallowed thickly and looked back to Namine. Her color seemed better, her breathing more regular. Aside from the fact that she was sleeping, one might never have known anything had been wrong in the first place. "What could have done this?" she asked aloud.

Riku didn't answer, even as he came to the only possible conclusion.

Had Kairi tapped into Namine's powers?

* * *

Aurora was still wondering at the strange flare of Light from earlier, even as she focused as much as she could on her peoples' concerns, when the doors to the castle's main chamber flew open in a burst of tricolor magic.

Aurora stood in stunned surprise as her "aunties", Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, trudged in, each of them clearly exhausted and supporting the limp form of a young girl.

Aurora rushed forward, the crowd parting before her without command, and drew them into a hug before addressing them. "Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, what has happened to you?" She started as the same warmth from before arose in her heart. "And who is this?"

"Rose," Flora said, her tone utterly commanding even as she used the name the fairies had raised her with, "you must help this girl. Summon your physician and get her to as comfortable chambers as you can."

Aurora nodded and called forth a pair of guards, ordering them to do as Flora had commanded. As the duo took the redheaded girl away, the princess couldn't help but feel … sad. But why?

"Who is she?" Aurora asked.

"She is one of your sisters in the Light," Fauna answered. Aurora gasped at that.

"Her name is Kairi," Merryweather finished, "and she's the one who cleansed the _Dark_ Mountain."

* * *

In the Round Room, Where Nothing Gathers, the pillar of a Dark Corridor heralded the entry of one of its members.

"Report," the Superior ordered, his tone bearing a hint of smugness.

"It finally happened," Number II said. "Just like you said, in the old home of the fairy hag. A burst of Light, like nothin' I've ever seen. Crazy stuff." He glanced up at Number I, waiting for instructions he was certain would come.

"Thrice establishes a pattern," the Superior finally said. "We clearly cannot anticipate this … phenomenon. It has not interfered with our plans, and I doubt it will. With both Roxas and Xion still gathering hearts, there was no stopping their goal. But whatever this was … it intrigued him.

But curiosity was not reason enough to divert resources from the creation of his Kingdom Hearts.

"Investigate the site of the event and report back. Afterwards … leave it be."

Number II nodded, a touch hesitantly, before departing in another Corridor.

As time passed in the Round Room, the Superior hummed in thought. Some instinct told him that this phenomenon was not a real threat to him, at least not now. But he had a feeling that it would come into play soon. He chuckled mirthlessly at the thought.

Perhaps when the young Sora was back in play. As he knew, without a doubt, he would be.

 **New chapter! What's y'all think?**

 ***For anyone who would argue that Kairi could never harness Namine's powers, I give you these arguments: 1) Kairi and Namine are in a way the same person, their very beings bound together. 2) That's exactly what Sora does in Final Form, harnessing Roxas's powers.**

 ***Namine's near-erasure was a result of Kairi tapping into her power. She siphoned off Namine's energy, which brought her to the edge of fading away. Kind of like the Organization members fading after being beaten enough. I figure they run out of the energy needed to keep themselves together.**

 ***Merryweather calling the Forbidden mountain the "Dark" mountain is a side-effect of the memory suppression.**

 ***The Briar Wraith was based on the Tree Knights from the film "Maleficent". Think of them made of ropes of black thorns and filled with smoking green fire and you'd be pretty close.**

 ***This was a tough fight to write. I figure a being formed from ehat amounts to rottinthe magical equivalent of nuclear waste may have a lot of power, but little tactical skill. Sorry if it seemed too short.**

 **What do y'all think? Will Kairi be okay?**

 **As always, leave a review! Let me know what you think! The alerts to a review make my day!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

'Where … am … I …?' A fragment at a time, Kairi's awareness pieced itself back together. She had no idea how long it took, but she eventually felt somewhat whole. Only upon reaching a shaky equilibrium did she notice where she was. An inky void surrounded her, as if she were back in her heart. But unlike those times, she was completely still. Not falling … just floating.

Kairi had little time to wonder at the significance of this before she became aware of another stark difference to her previous experiences. Out of the void emerged an expanse of reflective material, not unlike glass, crystal, or polished silver. It was like all of them, and unlike them, too.

Kairi's reflection stared back at her, dressed in a simple lavender sundress. She reached forward and touched the mirrored surface, forming a thin ripple that spread across it. In its wake, her reflection _changed_. Instead of herself, she was replaced by the girl from her vision, flaxen blonde hair and a white sundress.

The girl in the mirror smiled at her … and reached out of the surface to grab Kairi's wrist. Kairi shrieked, the sound muffled by the void around her, as she was pulled into the mirror. She flew down a long tunnel, a warm light at the end shining bright and beckoning to her. Was she dying?!

As she seemed to reach the tunnel's end, whiteness enveloped her … and resolved into a place she knew. A place she would never forget. The Grand Hall of Hollow Bastion was lain before her as she floated above it, like a ghost.

"Sora! Hold on!" Goofy shouted.

"No, wait!" Donald cried. Kairi strained to look away, but was unable to move.

Sora looked to them and gave that big cheesy grin before twisting a dark Keyblade and plunging it into his chest. With a burst of violet light, the Keyblade hung there before unsheathing itself, leaving Sora to float weightlessly. The Keyblade dissolved into six hearts, the hearts of her fellow Princesses, which floated away to return to their bodies.

In another pulse of pure white, another heart left Sora's body, gently returning to the figment of her own body lain out on the ground beside him. The heart returned to her, her eyes immediately opening. She saw Sora's peaceful smile as the Great Keyhole was completed, his body beginning to shine with with a golden glow.

Her double lunged to her feet and rushed to help him, his body shattering into motes of gold to leave her stunned and afraid. But rather than stay, Kairi felt her true self float upward to follow the remains of Sora as they faded into nothingness.

The encompassing whiteness returned, if only for a moment, and faded to reveal a room of pure white. She didn't understand how she knew it was a room. She just did. The motes of gold, Sora's body, arose from the floor and wove together. They formed something almost solid, like a cocoon, and burst apart to reveal … her. The girl. The girl's eyes fluttered open as she came to, shakily lifting herself up. Her eyes were vacant, as if she were exhausted.

Across the room, a whorl of Darkness arose and faded away to reveal a figure in a Black Coat striding toward her. It stopped within a foot of her and chuckled. "What do you know?" it asked with an effeminate male's voice.

The girl's brow crinkled, as if she were searching, but relaxed again into her vacant haze. The figure chuckled darkly, the sound drawing goosebumps on Kairi's not-skin. "You just need guidance," he said.

He waved his hand, glassy letters forming in the air to spell "Kairi", her name.

"Kairi," the girl said, without tone or inflection.

"Yes," he replied. "Your Other." With a snap of his fingers, the letters wilted with blackness, a faint light reforming into a new set of letters in a burst of pink flower petals. N-A-M-I-N-E …

"Na … mi … ne," the girl whispered.

"Very good, the man said, his face visible in the shadow of his hood. "The new you."

The whiteness returned, forcing Kairi to look away. A sound echoed through the white, the faint, echoing sound of her name. Kairi … Kairi …! KAIRI!

* * *

Kairi gasped and sat up, breathing heavily as if after a great struggle. She was trembling, shudders wracking her lithe frame like a leaf in an autumn wind. Kairi frantically looked around, finding herself in her room back at the Mysterious Tower.

The memories of her visions drifted to the forefront of her mind and began to fall apart. She struggled to hold onto them, to piece them back together, but they slipped through her proverbial fingers like ink in a river. Nami … what?

"Oh, dears, she's back!"

Kairi flinched and found the tiny Three Fairies drifting in front of her, examining her. "Oh, she's so much better!" tiny Fauna chirped.

"And she hasn't lost a step," Merriweather added.

"Now, now, dears. I'm sure Kairi wants to know what happened," Flora chided, before floating away from her bed with the other two in tow. Each of the orbs of light grew to reveal the full-sized fairies, who tucked their wands away and knelt at her bedside.

"That was quite a fright you gave us, child," Flora said goodnaturedly.

"Indeed. We'd never seen anything quite like it," Merryweather said in turn. "What do you remember?"

Kairi blinked and focused on her memories. She remembered fragments of her Dive to contact Master Aqua, something vague about a second Station, and then … everything went black.

"Not much," she answered shakily. "It was … I can't really explain." She kneaded her comforter in her hands as she struggled to dredged up the memories … then realized she was in bed. And had just woken up. "Wait a minute, how long was I asleep?" she asked.

"About six days," Flora answered.

"Six days!" Kairi shouted, throwing herself from the covers. She'd read something from Yen Sid's library about how too long in a comatose state could affect the body. It would leave the muscles and bones to atrophy and leave a haze over the mind. She could have lost the equivalent to days or weeks worth of training, she'd be back to square one, and she'd-

"Kairi!" the fairies barked, the authority in their collective tone halting her in her tracks. The fairies' sharp looks faded into matronly concern, their synchronization just a little unsettling. She briefly noted to herself that they were not human, no matter their appearance. She shouldn't forget that.

"Do not fret about any negative consequences," Flora assured.

"We were here to keep you in a kind of stasis, your body anchored outside of time while your mind and your heart recovered from what happened on the Dark Mountain," Fauna explained.

"As far as your training is concerned, this never happened," Merryweather smiled. As the youngest of her sisters, she could relate best to what Kairi was feeling.

Kairi heaved a relieved sigh and sank to the ground. After a few moments to sort out her feelings, she rose back to her feet and looked to the fairies. "Where is Master Yen Sid?" she asked.

"In his study, dear," Flora answered. "Just let us look you over and you'll be free to report to him." At Kairi's nod of agreement, the fairies once again shrunk down and surrounded her, floating in a complex pattern. They dispersed after a few moments and came back together to collide and disappear in a burst of glittering magic. For a moment, Kairi could only stare at the spot where they had disappeared, slightly in awe.

Brushing that aside, Kairi turned on her heel and left her room. She had a report to deliver.

* * *

In his quarters in the Castle That Never Was, Axel held his head in his hands as he thought over his situation. As he thought over Roxas and Xion. Given a choice, he knew the logical conclusion; neither mattered, because their friendship was a farce. Even past that, the next logical conclusion was Roxas, over a self-aware puppet.

But Axel, as emotionless as he believed himself to be, couldn't bring himself to choose.

Roxas and Xion were his best friends, even with Isa — Saix — constantly belittling that bond. With Kingdom Hearts as his witness, he believed in their friendship. And yet, he knew about the plan Xion had been created for. To either absorb Roxas's power and become their weapon, or be destroyed at Roxas's hands and cement _him_ as their weapon. And Axel knew that neither would be able to live with themselves if they survived killing one of their best friends.

Axel growled and fell back onto his matress, forcing himself away from these circling, depressing thoughts. Or rather, would-be depressing thoughts, if he had a heart. Which was a whole different facet of his problem. Did he really want to jeopardize reclaiming his heart? Or those of the other Organization members?

Axel spat a curse and refocused on _not focusing_ on that problem. He'd just have to do what he had always done and react to the situation as it unfolded. Go with the flow.

In his maddened search for something, _anything_ , else to think about, a Dusk's report from several months ago came to mind. The one about Kairi being in Twilight Town. Seizing an opening, Axel focused on the implications of such a thing. How had she gotten there in the first place? Where had she gone afterward, and how? Had she been back since? What was she doing there, anyway?

As these questions circled in his head, Axel couldn't help but wonder about Namine. What had happened to her? What had happened to Sora? As much as he liked Roxas, Sora had definitely won his respect back at Castle Oblivion with his never-give-up, my-friends-are-my-power attitude.

And then thoughts of Castle Oblivion brought him right back to thoughts of Xion, her origin and her purpose. Could Vexen have solved this if Axel hadn't finished him off? Nah, there was no way Axel would start to poke at that issue. What's done is done, and there wasn't any point killing himself with 'what-if's.

As Axel looked out his window at the soft yellow glow of Kingdom Hearts, he couldn't help the grimace of frustration that curled his lips. What could he do now? Was there even a solution?

At this point, he settled, only time would tell.

* * *

Kairi sat with her back straight as Master Yen Sid drummed his fingers on his desk, apparently mulling over everything that had happened. Questions about what had happened back at Enchanted Dominion, and the long-term effects, filled her mind. But she had learned by now that rushing Yen Sid was pretty much the same as filling a bucket with no bottom.

The only result would be failure and frustration.

After what felt like an eternity, Yen Sid's fingers stopped their incessant beat. "And you are certain you do not remember the center of this episode?" Yen Sid asked. "The slightest detail could be important."

"No, Master," Kairi said. "Nothing concrete. It's all kind of a blur, and then it fades out completely." She had said this a few times, but figured Yen Sid was trying to gently jog her memory. After a few more moments, his scowl faded into a pensive look.

"Very well. You are dismissed," he said. Kairi smiled and nodded before leaving.

After she had gone, Yen Sid sat back in his high-backed chair and considered what he had learned. The three good fairies had given a glowing report on her Trial, praising her use of the Light against a mindless force of destruction. One he had not foreseen.

Overall, her progress was excellent. She was still far from the Mark of Mastery, but few her age were ever close.

The old sorcerer's proud smile faded as he began pondering his most recent divination. The stars were … tense. Something was happening, minute quickenings in events emerging. If Kairi was to be ready to make her mark on the worlds, to aide her friends in the fight against the Organization as he was certain she would, he would have to accelerate the rest of her training. Or whatever he could squeeze in.

Granted, all that remained as far as training went were a few odds and ends. Polishing up her remaining spellcasting (after which she would have to begin teaching herself in regards to more esoteric magic), getting her environment traversal up to scratch, the focused intensity for Shotlocks, and the like. After that, it would be up to her to amass experience on her own.

Yen Sid briefly toyed with the idea of asking the three good fairies to grant Kairi a set of the enchanted garments they had prepared for Sora's eventual return, but decided against it. Sora had Donald and Goofy with him as foundations for the transformations, centers of strength and magic, respectively. Kairi, at the moment, had no such bonds strong enough aside from Sora and Riku.

And more than anything, he felt that Kairi and Sora's paths, their destinies, were not to be joined just yet.

* * *

As the light began to fade from Yen Sid's isle, the encroaching dusk found Kairi sprinting through the trees that dotted the tiny world. While she trusted the good fairies' belief that her progress had not regressed during her sleep, she couldn't help the desire to push her limits, to see for herself if it was true.

And she knew that adrenaline could help clear the mind, to think clearly.

First, she had performed the spells Yen Sid had taught her to animate the wooden, mechanical training dummies, the wood mystically reinforced and the gears and springs inside moved by magic to create a somewhat-realistic training partner. One that needn't be coddled or held back against.

She had tested her swordplay against a few of them, finding her reflexes and agility just as sharp as before. But as she had fought, had pushed herself, memories of her battle with the Briar Wraith … mocked her. She had been too slow, her magic too weak. Oh, she could hear the fairies' praises ringing in her ears, or Yen Sid's firm affirmation that her progress was more than sufficient. But in the end, she hadn't been strong enough to defeat a mindless creature of Darkness!

At the height of her self-imposed punishment, fragments of Donald and Goofy aiding Sora had come to mind, reminding her that even he had needed help during the string of battles in his quest. This had helped her to some degree, but she couldn't get over the thought that what she had learned wasn't … quite enough.

'Maybe that's what every hero thinks when the chips are down,' Kairi wondered. 'The only thing that proves they are worthy … is the fact that they triumph over evil.'

After that had crossed her mind, she'd hefted Destiny's Embrace over her shoulder and bolted for the forested hills. Her swordplay was just as good as it had been. Now it was time to test her stamina.

And so hours of running had brought her here, bolting through the foliage along paths she herself had worn between the trees. As she neared a grouping of large spiky rocks, she veered to the right and ran along one, slowly gaining altitude. As she neared its end, she focused her Light and fired off Keychains to form a tenuous bridge that she crossed between them, the Chains dissolving when she crossed onto another rock and returning to her heart.

As she continued to run, nearing the edge of her stamina, Kairi thought about the gaps in her memory after the fight with the Briar Wraith. She'd Dove into her heart, she'd … seen something … another Station …? But why would there be another Station in _her_ heart?

She knew what she had done, just as she knew that she would reunite with Sora and Riku when Yen Sid inevitably released her prematurely from her training. She'd wiped the memories of _everyone who had known of Maleficent_! How had she done that?! She had no knowledge of memory magic, a field that Yen Sid had mentioned even he was wary of! So how had she done that?!

Kairi skidded to a halt, pulse pounding and lungs burning, even as her body thrummed with anxious curiosity. She needed answers to all of this.

Of course, her first thought was to ask Yen Sid, but she had a feeling that all he could give her, assuming he would choose to do so, was guesswork and hypotheses. Her next thought was to once again attempt to contact Master Aqua, but she pushed that aside as well. She respected Aqua and would treasure her advice, but she needed to reason out some things on her own. Besides, who knew if she could even reach her?

As Kairi resumed her walking pace, a familiar sound drifted over her. Following it, she found a narrow stream cut into the ground. Kairi smiled and removed her shoes and socks before sitting on the small cliff that led into the water, letting it wash over her feet and ankles. No matter where she had lived, from the fountains of Radiant Garden to the shores of Destiny Islands, Kairi had always felt most at peace near the water.

With a deep breath, Kairi lay back and relaxed her mind. She visualized her stress and confusion as a fierce blush covering her body, and imagined it slowly moving down her body to be washed away by the coolness of the water. She imagined this again and again and again, each time calming her further until she was as relaxed as she was after a deep meditation.

With her thoughts gently focused, Kairi once again thought of what had happened after the Briar Wraith was destroyed. She remembered Flora's explanation on the power of memory, how such things could act as focal points for fear — and therefore Darkness.

For a moment, she wondered if the opposite were true. That places associated with such things as hope and love could act as unbreakable fortresses for goodness. She filed that away for later thought and returned to her memory.

She remembered enacting a Dive, trying to make contact with Aqua. She ... remembered … the other Station. The image was distorted, as if her mind were rejecting it somehow. But with the gentle pressure of a river behind a dam, she concentrated on it, willing it into clarity.

Before it could become truly clear, a lance of pain sliced through Kairi's head, shattering her focus with a yelp of pain. But in her efforts, she had retained one detail of the mural on the Station. The girl … a familiar girl. Where had she …?

And like a candle igniting, she recalled her Awakening, the event carved into her memory. She remembered the mural emblazoned on the fourth station, the girl in white surrounded by thorns who looked so much like her. Had it been her heart that Kairi had somehow … linked to? That seemed the only explanation.

Kairi opened her eyes and gently brushed under her nose, feeling the gritty sense of dried blood. Wow, part of her had _really_ not wanted to remember that vision. Kairi stood and, with a flick of her wrist, summoned an orb of blue-white light to guide her back to the tower. It was dark by now and, knowing Yen Sid, she definitely have training tomorrow.

A faint chill ran up her spine as she considered the backlog of six days worth of training. A day from now, she'd probably regret ever taking up this apprenticeship.

 **Sorry for publishing this so late everyone. Life's been kinda crazy lately. (Yeah, I know everyone says that. But that doesn't make it any less true. As I've said before: Writing is HARD!)**

 ***Kairi's vision of Namine's birth was based on the flashback to Roxas being born in Twilight Town in _KH2FM_. Offical sources claim she was born in Castle Oblivion, where the Organization found her. We never got to see that, so I took my own spin on it. I'm sure you can guess who found her instead of Xemnas. **

***The detail about the three fairies putting Kairi in a magical "stasis" was based on the original movie. They put all of the castle to sleep when Aurora was cursed to make sure they wouldn't age and die without her. I thought that was a good way to avoid the whole "bag of spilling" issue that so often plagues Sora. Poor guy can't retain what he's learned to save his life!**

 ***The little bit with Axel was to give an idea as to where we are in the 358/2 Days timeline.**

 **Thanks for reading, everyone. Leave a review for any bits of training you want covered in the final stretch; or just to say how much you've liked it. And a huge thanks to anyone who has reviewed this fic so far. I appreciate every single one! May your muses never waver!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Again!" Yen Sid commanded, his tone firm to cut through his student's exhaustion. With a tiredly determined nod, Kairi centered herself and _focused_. As magically-animated wooden targets bobbed and wove around her, she mentally targeted a few of them, visualizing crosshairs on each of them.

As she did so, she took a firm hold on the magic inside her and mixed it with a strand of her inner-Light to form a potent source of energy. Within a span of heartbeats, Kairi felt the pressure between her temples and behind her eyes that meant she was ready.

"Come on!" she shouted, and released the energy from her hold, channeling it through her Keyblade. The magic burst from her Keyblade as a salvo of fire and ice, the projectiles mixing together when possible to form bursts of explosive, scalding steam. When they didn't sear or freeze the targets on their own. Refocusing the current of her magic, by now out of sheer habit, Kairi channeled the last of her gathered power directly from her body in a crushing barrage of magic that ended with a pillar of Light, similar to Faith.

The Shotlock, as Yen Sid called it, finally over, Kairi collapsed to her knees and tried to catch her breath as sweat poured from her. After a moment, she brushed a finger under her nose, glancing at it with relief. She was making progress, it seemed — the first few times she had tried that had ended with a bloody nose.

Kairi sucked in a breath as she felt the soothing caress of a Curaga wash the ache from her body. She was still tired, no magic could replace food and rest, but she wasn't gritting her teeth with pain anymore.

"I am most impressed, Kairi," Yen Sid revealed. "Few as young as yourself have been able to develop their own unique Shotlock, especially in such a short time." That such a short time being more than a month.

As Kairi had predicted after she had woken from her mini-coma after fighting the Briar Wraith, Yen Sid had not taken it easy on her. In point of fact, he had begun teaching her a few more new things. All at the same time!

He had begun with what he called parkour, the art of moving from point A to point B with as little wasted movement as possible, whether it be forward, side-to-side, up, or down. She had been grateful for her previous physical training that made it easier to pick up (and doubted that fact was coincidental).

In addition, he had finished polishing her magic, teaching her the basics of time magic, such as Slow and its higher tiers, Stop and its tiers, as well as gravity magic. Out of all of those, she had taken to Stop the most, and had taught herself the "Time Splicer" technique from one of Yen Sid's books.

But what he had been most focused on, and she had just demonstrated, was the "high-intensity focus" required for Shotlocks. In the beginning, when Yen Sid had demonstrated a number of them for her, Kairi had been ecstatic to learn them. Naturally, this had changed when she herself tried it.

There was a reason that Shotlocks were reserved for late in an apprenticeship. Not only were they grueling to learn, especially in the beginning, they were useless without practicing the focus necessary to aim large amounts of raw magic and the practice in harnessing such large reserves in the first place. And that was without adding the mixing of magic and Light to the equation.

As far as Yen Sid was concerned, her progress was nothing short of astounding. She had mastered, in rapid succession, Flame Salvo, Absolute Zero, and Photon Charge. Mickey had done as well, but then he had been much older than Kairi. Cutting off his thoughts, and noticing the light beginning to dim, mimicking a sun approaching the horizon, Yen Sid ordered Kairi back to the tower for dinner.

Kairi nodded and began to make her way back, the sound of hot food making her stomach growl. Before she had taken a dozen steps, she felt something brush against her consciousness.

" _Namine?_ "

The world seemed to spin — Kairi didn't even realize she was falling.

" _Namine? What's happening to me?_ " Namine? Why did that name seem so familiar?

" _Who are you?_ " She spoke without thinking, curiosity rising rather than any kind of fear. This boy's voice, it seemed … familiar. " _And that's not my name. I'm Kairi._ " If he was looking for someone else, better let him know now.

" _Kairi … I know you! You're that girl he likes._ "

What?! " _Who?_ " Could he mean …? " _Please, a name._ "

" _I'm Roxas._ "

" _Okay, Roxas. But can you tell me his name?_ "

 _You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot, Kairi._ Had she been conscious, Kairi would have gasped. That voice! She would know that voice anywhere! _Okay, I guess I can give you a hint. Starts with an "S"._

Kairi gasped as she emerged from her stupor, Yen Sid shaking her shoulder. "Kairi, what is wrong?"

Kairi eased up back to her feet, her mind whirling. What had just happened? Who was this "Roxas"? And how had she heard Sora's voice? Kairi looked to Yen Sid, whose gaze was drawn in thought. She thought over what had happened … and came to a decision. She bolted for the tower, for her room.

There was something she needed to do.

* * *

As the light continued to fall into night, the void surrounding Yen Sid's isle turning pink that in turn faded to purple, Kairi stood on the lip of the isle. She gazed into the void, strands of light and energy flickering in the distance that brought to mind eels and jellyfish from the Islands.

Kairi's grip tightened on the bottle in her hand, containing a letter she had written to Sora several months ago. Had she really been training with Yen Sid for nearly a year? Somehow it didn't seem that long, even as it felt far longer.

After making sure the wax seal on the cork was still secure, Kairi reached inside for her magic and did what she had only done a few times before. She wove a spell that she had not learned, allowing her sheer focused _intent_ to guide the magic. She willed the spell to guide this bottle through the void, away from that which would harm it and toward the person it was written for.

After she felt the spell settle, Kairi reared back and threw it as hard as she could. The bottle arced and began to fall … and then was caught in a current of gravity that whisked it away into the distance.

As she watched her letter disappear into the void between worlds, Kairi thought of the promise Sora had made to her. _I'll come back to you! I promise!_ The words echoed through her mind, the memory as fresh as ever. Lifting her hand, Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace.

"No matter where you are, Sora, I will find you. And we will find Riku and go home together."

Banishing her Keyblade, Kairi turned on her heel and headed back to the tower. And something inside her, perhaps some instinct as a Princess of Heart or something even deeper, knew that she wouldn't be here much longer. Her training wasn't complete, but she would be needed soon.

* * *

In the mansion of Twilight Town, Namine scribbled tirelessly as memories began to return to Sora. She had felt it, that connection. Somehow, Roxas had reached out and made contact with Kairi's heart, or vice versa, and Roxas had acted as some kind of bridge between Kairi and Sora.

In that moment, memories from Sora had begun to rush back into him. Perhaps making contact with Kairi had galvanized Sora's heart into repairing itself? Or perhaps Kairi's will to reunite with Sora, always in the background of her heart, had pushed them through Roxas and back to where they belonged?

In the end, it didn't matter. Her task was almost complete. But for that, she needed to finish repairing his chains of memory. And so, she scribbled as if possessed, guiding his memories with a vigor she hadn't felt since the beginning.

Events were rising to a head. And in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder: what would happen to Roxas? And to her? As she paused and looked up at her wall of pictures, she focused on two in particular. One of Sora, and one of Kairi. And an impossible solution came to mind. Or perhaps, not so impossible.

Could that be the answer?

* * *

Three days passed after Kairi's episode, three days of training and thinking. She had written every word she could remember in her journal, considering everything that she could. The names "Roxas" and "Namine" seemed important, especially the latter. It still struck a chord within her, like she should know it.

But that was far from her mind as, on the third day, she stood at attention before Yen Sid's desk. The old sorcerer had his fingers woven and his eyes closed, clearly thinking over what to do. She had reported everything she could remember to him, aside from a single word. Rather than the girl he "likes", she had substituted the word "knows". She felt that what he had really said was too personal.

"I'm sure you feel it as well, Kairi? The quickening of the worlds?" Kairi nodded, feeling no need to say a word. "Events are drawing to a head, the tenuous peace the worlds have known burning away. The worlds are readying themselves for another … adventure."

He gestured to the side room, a room she had never been in. "Through those doors, you will meet with the Three Good Fairies. They will provide enchanted clothes that will, I hope, give you protection in the days to come."

Kairi blinked in surprise, but nodded resolutely before passing through the door and into the room. The room was empty of any fairies, but she had read that fairies perceived time differently from humans. She had no doubt that they would be here soon. In the meantime, the covered mirrors that surrounded the room caught her eye, some enchantment on each stoking her curiosity.

On a whim, she decided to explore the mirrors counterclockwise. Removing the cover from the first mirror, she gasped at what she saw. Her reflection showed her … but differently. Her muscles, rather than the lithe definition she'd gained during her physical training, seemed almost too big for her frame. She wielded _two_ Keyblades, her clothes red and armored, and her expression brought to mind a desire to _fight_ , to destroy those who would harm the worlds.

As she moved to each mirror, each reflection was different. In the next, she saw herself dressed in blue sorcerer's robes and wearing Yen Sid's hat, her Keyblade in one hand and an carved staff in the other. Her expression was serene, and the overwhelming force of sheer magic seemed to press against the glass.

The next mirror showed her with a balanced stance, again with two Keyblades. Her clothes were an amber version of the clothes she now wore, flowing around her. Her expression was nothing short of cocky, her eyes glinting with knowledge.

The next was the most stunning yet. She against held two Keyblades, Destiny's Embrace and the Oathkeeper that Sora had used. She was dressed in a shimmering silver-white dress, one of her bangs that framed her face highlighted flaxen blonde. And silvery light flowed around her, power like she had never felt. It was almost a struggle to cover it back up.

The last mirror … had no reflection at all. Wait, what?

Kairi was halted from considering the implications of that by the feel of magic in the air. She glanced back and covered the mirror to find the Three Good Fairies. She smiled and approached to bow to them.

"Oh, don't be so formal, dear," Flora eased.

"Oh, yes, we've got to get you ready for any adventures that may come," Merryweather said delightedly.

"We've all pitched in to design them," Fauna added.

The fairies gathered together and faced her, wands at the ready. "Now, dears, no squabbling." Flora said sternly. "Lord knows she's earned cooperation." With a flick of each of their wrists, so perfectly in sync it could only have been practiced, the fairies cast their magic on her.

A bright light arose, blinding her for a moment before it faded away to reveal her new clothes. The first part was a silvery-white halter top, covered by a lavender thing-length dress with a black hood. Zippers covered her dress, decorated with eldritch charms, and a black belt loosely circled her waist, with a large pouch at her hip. Black leggings stretched to her knees, leaving her shins bare, and her feet were protected by boots identical to her training ones, though polished to a shine.

As Kairi marvelled at her new garments, and the faint air of magic that seemed to emanate from them, she also noticed a trio of bracelets on her left wrist, one black, one white, and one blue. "What are these?" Kairi asked.

"Those bracelets are enchanted to glow in the presence of those you know," Merryweather explained. "The blue will glow when Sora is near, the black when your friend Riku is near. And the white will glow-" Fauna cut her off with a hand on her shoulder.

"The white will glow when it needs to, Kairi," Flora finished. "You'll understand when it happens. Trust us, we feel that knowing of it too soon could put that person in grave danger."

Kairi was surprised at her answer, but decided to let it pass.

"As for the clothes themselves," Flora continued, "they are enchanted to protect you from marm, physical and magical."

"They're not perfect," Fauna added, "but they will help in the long run. And they will act as a lowkey Focus Barrier, each impact they protect you from adding to a small reservoir of magic stored in them. Use it in emergencies."

"And they'll shield you from the senses of the Dark, just like your old white coat," Merryweather added with a smile. 'No more baking under that old thing."

"Thanks!" Kairi smiled, fingering the material of her new dress. It shifted between her fingers like water and breathed like a charm. She couldn't wait to test it out in real time!

"Now that you're outfitted, Master Yen Sid had one last thing for you," Flora informed. "Go now, quickly. Mustn't keep him waiting!" Kairi nodded and waved goodbye, eager to speak to her Master.

When she reentered Yen Sid's office, he was standing by the crescent-shaped window to the right of his desk, the picture of patience, as if he were a statue content to wait out the centuries. Kairi approached and nodded her head, ready to receive her orders, whatever they may be.

"You should know, Kairi, that the standing orders I gave you during your first Trial have become obsolete. Whatever had happened to him, Sora has once again become an acting force."

Kairi took a step back in surprise, eyes wide. He was back?! She smiled and had to visibly restrain herself from leaping for joy. "What would you have me do, Master Yen Sid?"

"I would have you do your duty, my student," he replied. From his robes, he produced his Star Shard. "But I cannot determine where your newfound skills would be most effective. That, I believe, is best left to fate." He passed her the Shard. "I have explained to you the threat of Organization XIII. While I do not feel that they will be after you or your fellow Princesses, their designs cannot be good."

He closed his eyes with a faint grin. "And while Sora is an admirable youth, I feel he isn't best suited for investigation." He opened his eyes again, his hawk-like gaze boring into Kairi's. "Whatever happens, I want you to learn as much as you can about the efforts of Organization XIII."

Kairi hesitated before nodding. No sooner had she done so than the Star Shard lit up, preparing to transport her. But even as it did so, Kairi gasped as something else began to glow: her blue charm bracelet, the one that detected Sora's presence! "Wait-" Her cry was cut short by the Shard whisking her away to wherever it felt like.

Yen Sid chuckled humorlessly at the cruelty of fate and returned to his desk, breathing deeply as he awaited his new arrivals. Kairi had not sensed it, as she was not attuned to his wards, but the tower's defenses had been activated, and a Dark presence was leaving his doorstep. Pete, formerly of Disney Castle, was weak, his Heartless feeble. He was not a threat.

What concerned him was a trio of new arrivals from his train, now nearing the door to his office. These were the ones he had waited for. The door opened to reveal a young man with caramel hair and sunkissed skin, his eyes a deep shade of sapphire.

This was the one ...

* * *

Kairi oofed as the Star Shard finally landed her on one a new world, growling at its horrible sense of timing. She stood and shook the Shard, trying to force it to take her back. Sora had been close! And if he was close, there was no way Riku was far behind! They could team up to find him, to stop the Organization's plans! They could finally be reunited, just as he'd promised. As _she_ had promised.

With a frustrated groan she ended her feeble attempts to force the Star Shard to work and slipped it in her belt pouch. If her past experience was any indication, it wouldn't let her go until she had finished whatever it wanted her to do on this world.

On that note, Kairi looked to her surroundings … and was horrified. All around her was gritty brown sand in a pale imitation of a storm, accenting the barren cliffs in the distance. But more than that, she felt the ... brokenness of this place, like an open, festering wound. Something of unspeakable tragedy had happened on this empty world.

And yet, underneath that crushing sorrow, she felt something else. It was as if her heart were reacting to this place, a sense of morbid anticipation rising within her. Or maybe dread. She felt that something was destined to happen here, something that would shake all worlds.

The faint sound of metal creaking drew her attention and she whirled around. Kneeling a few yards away … was a man in pusted armor. _Keyblade_ armor …

' _Aqua … Ven …'_

Kairi flinched and summoned Destiny's Embrace, preparing herself for whatever may come. She had no idea how she had understood this figure, but she had heard his utterings clear as day. He had mentioned Ventus? And Master Aqua?

' _A Keyblade …? Who are you?'_ The man seemed to consider her. ' _Aqua … No … That is not Aqua's. But … You are like her. Like Aqua. Did she … choose you? Can you … take me … to her?'_ The man slowly stood, his armor creaking as if it would crumble from his frame. He took a step … and Kairi paled as she felt it.

Passion. Rage. Hatred. All growing like thorny weeds from a garden of friendship and … love. And more Darkness than she had ever felt aside from the Fall of the Islands. Who was this man? _What_ was he?!

Kairi gulped, her grip on her Keyblade shaky as a bead of sweat rolled down her temple. She didn't know how this thing knew her first Master or her friend, but she couldn't let it touch her. There was no way it was stable, and who knew what it would do if she couldn't help it?

Before she could strike first, the light from the Star Shard flared up again and whisked her away. And as she was flown from this scarred world, she felt a final emotion from the armored figure. Sadness, despair, the likes of which she had never felt. And she felt sorrow for it. What terrifying events had left it in such a state?

* * *

Up on the clock tower of Twilight Town, the fromer Number XIII of the Organization, Axel, considered his options. "Ansem" had seen fit to let both he and Namine go, and Axel was determined to make the most of that.

Thinking about Namine's little speech about someone she wanted to see, Axel couldn't decide if she was talking about Roxas, Sora … or Kairi. And as he thought of those three … a crazy idea sprung to mind. A way to derail the Organization's insane scheme, but more importantly … a way to bring his best friend back!

But for that, he needed Kairi.

Axel thought over what he knew of Kairi. She'd grown up with Sora, so that meant she'd be on Destiny Islands. He tried to remember where the Islands were … and was confused to find the memory fuzzy, insubstantial. Wait, hadn't he been there before? He had, at some point. He'd watched the sunset with Roxas … right?

Axel concentrated, tried to remember … and came up with nothing more. No fixed position in Interspace or a pathway through the Corridors of Darkness. He chuckled humorlessly. "Getting absent-minded, old man?" he asked himself. He frowned and considered his next move, only one conclusion available.

He'd have to sneak back into the Castle That Never Was and "borrow" a look at their star maps. There was no way someone hadn't marked the Islands' location in Interspace. It would be risky, but what worth having was ever easy? He summoned a Corridor of Darkness to the outskirts of the Castle, where he could use his Assassins to monitor the ins and outs of the remaining members and figure out the best time to strike.

And maybe snatch up some Dusks to move Kairi along? There was no way she'd be able to out fight them.

As he stepped through and let the Corridor close, he just missed the strange image of a shooting star falling toward the square. It landed with a beacon of light, which faded to reveal the very girl he was after.

Kairi gaped at the world around her. Twilight Town? Why had the Shard brought her here? She removed the Shard from her pouch and examined it, but she felt its power had somehow gone dormant. Was this her final destination? Replacing the shard, she wondered why it would bring her here. Was this world the site of some scheme for the Organization?

With a heavy sigh, she squeezed the bridge of her nose. Was this how sora felt on his adventures? Nope, not according to the fragmented memories of his first journey. He usually just went with the flow, rolled with the punches. He landed somewhere and made the most of it, took what answers he found.

With that thought, Kairi smiled and began to trek toward the Station Heights. The Shard had brought her here, might as well see what she could dig up. And she had a good idea about where to start.

The Old Mansion.

 **Sorry about the long wait, guys. My inspiration petered out and, try as i might, I couldn't get it back. That and i was gone without my laptop for a week and a half. But, i went to Disney World to visit my sister who works there (five state drives are not fun!). Hopefully this makes up for it. Yes, finally we're getting into the storyline of KH2.**

 ***I had to do the letter in a bottle scene, it ties in to the end of KH2. And that little event may have more of an effect than you all expect.**

 ***The mirrors scene was based on the mirrors in the changing room. If you examine them, they reveal images of what Sora would look like, in order, with his strength, magic, abilities, Keyblade power, and Darkness at their individual peaks, representative of Valor, Wisdom, Master, Final, and Anti Forms. And his old power from KH1 in the Final Mix version. That was real spur-of-the-moment, and I couldn't resist. Hope I got the descriptions good. ***Can anyone guess why she had no reflection in the last mirror? You'll figure it out.**

 ***The quick trip to the Keyblade graveyard was also an impulse thing. Terra has met Riku (his own analogue) and met Sora in KH2FM (Ven's analogue), so I felt that he needed to have some interaction with Kairi (Aqua's analogue).**

 ***I've never been really clear on the timeline of Axel's defection, even with the added FM scene of Riku letting him and Namine go, so I kind of set up my own. And the sneaking back into the Castle thing is my explanation of why it took until Sora's first trip to Agrabah for him to get to the Islands. Needless to say, he's going to get more than his fair share of surprises form this point on.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Leave a review if you liked this, and sorry again about how late it is! May your collective muses never waver!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

After a short hike through the woods, Kairi brushed aside a branch to reveal the sight of the dilapidated "haunted" mansion. Bathed in the warm glow of the ever-setting sun, the house looked as lovely as it did lonely.

Kairi summoned Destiny's Embrace and leveled its tip at the ornate iron gate that protected the mansion, the tip glowing and firing off a beam of white light that opened the lock and eased the rusted gates open. She banished her Keyblade (Heartless could track it and were still a threat, after all) and crossed the yard to finally enter the manor itself.

Kairi's first impression of the manor was … less-than-impressed. Everything was coated in dust, and what little furniture there was was smashed to splinters. If this was a stronghold of the Organization, she could only think that the disrepair was to help ward off suspicion.

Brushing her theories aside, Kairi climbed the manor's right hand staircase, hoping to find something of value. The single door she found led to an expansive and well-organized library, alcoves in each wall holding ornate statues. A huge oak table sat in the middle of the room with a candelabra, and the massive curtain on the far wall explained one of the windows from outside.

Kairi approached the table and was surprised to find something resembling a magical glyph drawn on its surface. Kairi thought back to the book on glyphs, basically magical seals that protected something like a container or location, but this wasn't like anything she had ever seen. And for one thing, it was incomplete. A glyph was meant to continually harness magic; and incomplete one would be little more than an ornate decoration. Maybe this place had been owned by an aspiring magician?

After pursuing the books on the shelves and finding nothing incriminating, Kairi sighed and left the library. Crossing the second floor led her to another door. She opened it … and was struck by brightness. After blinking away the spots in her vision, Kairi gasped at the sight of a perfectly white room, its furnishings as lovely as the rest of the mansion and the walls covered in crayon drawings. Another table sat in the middle of the room, also covered in drawings.

Kairi approached one of the walls and examined the drawings, her eyes widening in shock. The drawings were … of Sora! Not all of them, but a quick sweep of the room showed that a vast majority were. Some of them were of places, like Hollow Bastion or the Islands. Most of them were of people, people that Kairi knew from Sora's memories. A quick glance through the stack of drawings on the table showed the same thing, like a timeline of his adventures.

But … But who could have done this? Who would have such an intimate knowledge of Sora's journey? It couldn't have been Sora himself; he couldn't draw to save his life. And Riku wouldn't have had the knowledge of all of this. Could it be the Organization? No, that didn't make sense. Why use drawings instead of a written log?

As she tried to piece together this puzzle, Kairi examined more of the drawings. Some had people she didn't recognize, like a boy with blond spiky hair or a man with red hair. Kairi paused at one of her holding a paopu fruit and smiling. Wait, what was …? There was a bulge in the paper, as if it were hiding something.

With careful movements, Kairi removed he drawing to allow a folded piece fall to the ground. Scooping it up and unfolding it revealed … a picture of Destiny's Embrace! "What?!" Kairi exclaimed, slapping a hand to her mouth out of reflex. She may not have been alone here. But more to the point, now she had to know who had drawn all of these. How did this person know so much about here and her friends?!

Tucking the picture into her pouch, Kairi left to examine the remaining part of the mansion. After finding only a beaten up parlor, she shook her head and set off for town, no answers and more questions whirling through her mind. What was so significant about the drawings in that room? And why did the place seem so … familiar to her?

* * *

On another world, a sunset just as beautiful as Twilight Town gazed upon a lonesome figure. On a familiar leaned paopu tree, Namine sat and watched the sunset glitter upon the ocean. 'It really is beautiful,' she thought. But the picturesque view couldn't soften her conundrum.

What to do now?

Namine knew what her ending would be. It was the only way to remain in some way real, a way that was open only to her now. By now, Roxas would have been merged with Sora, and Sora would be reunited with his friends to fight against the Organization. Riku would be keeping to the shadows and helping wherever he could, carefully hidden from his friend.

And Kairi was in Twilight Town. Some magic was trying to interfere, but no force could dampen Namine's link to her Other. She could feel Kairi's presence in her old room, feel her confusion and concern over Namine's drawings. She could feel some part of her, even now, drawn to Kairi, straining to reunite with her.

Maybe she should. She wasn't really a person, merely a reflection of Kairi. Either she would merge or she would fade away. There was no other option. Really, she should be thankful she actually _had_ an option. No other Nobody did.

That thought turned her back toward Roxas, and the thought of him made her smile. She had meant every word she said to him, about them meeting again. And she had promised. She had _promised_! Which meant fading away wasn't an option. But did that really mean she had to merge with Kairi so soon?

Namine frowned as she remembered her plans from before. To see the worlds and make her own memories. Sure, that was before DiZ had told her, in no uncertain terms, her true fate. But many of the Organization had survived for years without fading away.

After a few more moments, Namine came to a decision. Her fate may have been unchanged, but it could be postponed. She gathered her pencils and sketchbook and summoned a Corridor of Darkness, rushing through to her destination.

While she had time, it was her chance to make memories of her own.

* * *

As she turned what she had seen in the mansion over and over, examining it from every angle she could, Kairi let her feet guide her through town. She knew, on some level, that what she had found was important, especially in the white room. But she didn't have enough information to figure out _why_. Kairi's thoughts, as fragmented as they were, were jolted by someone grabbing her shoulder.

"Hey, Kairi," Olette said, eyes shining.

"Olette!" Kairi greeted cheerily, drawing her into a hug. Olette broke away, her hands on Kairi's shoulders as she examined her outfit.

"I like the new look," she said. "It really looks good on you." Kairi blushed at the praise. "So, you must be in town for your deal with Hayner, right?" Kairi looked at her blankly, nothing coming to mind. "About Struggle?" Olette prompted. "You promised that if you were in town, you'd participate."

Kairi's eyes widened as she remembered. "Oh, yeah. Wait, the Struggle matches are set up?"

"Guess you weren't here for them," Olette mused, then smiled. "Guess you really just needed to see some friends."

Kairi laughed and patted the Star Shard in her pouch. "Guess so," she agreed. "So where's the Struggle tournament being held? I did promise I'd knock Hayner down a peg or two."

Olette laughed and led the way to the Sandlot, brushing her up on her knowledge of the Struggle tournament's rules and regulations. Kairi listened carefully, committing each rule to memory. Struggle was much different than her training exercises with Yen Sid, but she thought that approaching it like one would help her keep from seriously hurting anyone. ' _An exercise for swordplay, with magic not allowed,'_ she told herself.

The pair finally entered the Sandlot to find most of the town's citizens in the bleachers or otherwise ready to watch. A small group of young men were standing in the center of the raised platform that would house the matches, including Hayner. Olette asked if it was too late to sign up, the official assuring her that it wasn't, and a bit of paperwork later, Kairi was handed a Struggle bat and ushered to the ring.

The official, who doubled as the referee for the matches, gathered them all together to go over the main rules one last time. After making sure everyone was up to speed, he added Kairi's name to the roster and declared the first match. "Kairi vs Hayner".

As Kairi took her place on one side of the platform, readying her bat with practiced ease, she couldn't help but wonder how Hayner was feeling right now.

* * *

Hayner swallowed thickly, beads of sweat gathering on his brow. It was easy to have bravado six months before the tournament, but now it was occurring to him that he was fighting Kairi. Kairi, the mysterious chick who had shown up out of nowhere, beaten things the local peacekeepers had no clue how to even fight, disappeared, reappeared, disappeared again, and now shown back up out of the blue.

Yes, he considered her a friend. Heck, anyone who could break Seifer's nose upon first meeting him was okay in his book. And as the group got to know her, she showed enthusiasm, kindness, and an easygoing charm that had adopted her into the group. But just judging from her posture, easy yet firm, and the fiery glint in her eyes, Kairi was way out of his depth.

Before the match started, Kairi smiled at him. Not some challenging bring-it-on grin, but a real smile. It was like she was encouraging him to give it his all. She took her stance and narrowed her eyes, her next message clear. _Don't hold back_.

Hayner heard the bell toll … and charged. He feinted to the right and swung from the left with his classic two-hit combo. And like she weren't there at all, Kairi flowed between his attacks. He kept up the pressure, but she kept up her evasion, ducking and weaving between his movements with grace that put dancers to shame.

His temper fraying, and the pressure of the clock growing, Hayner swung down — and grunted as a shockwave travelled from his bat to the soles of his feet. Kairi had blocked this time, and hadn't budged and inch. Before he could react, Kairi flicked his bat aside and smashed hers into him, knocking a full quarter of his orbs out in one go. And sending him flying across the platform.

Hayner rolled to his feet and yelped, barely avoiding Kairi's follow up. Seemed Kairi was done playing defensively and was getting serious. He tried to block, but her attacks were strong enough to smash aside his guard and keep up the pressure, each hit releasing a few more orbs.

Swinging blindly, Hayner met Kairi's bat and was able to hold her still … just in time for the bell to toll. The match was over, and Hayner hadn't had a chance to pick up a single orb. A quick check of his person showed a grand total of … twelve orbs?! Hayner grimaced and moved to hand his orbs back to the proctor, only to see Kairi holding out a fist. He grinned and bumped her knuckles, both of them handing their orbs back for recording before rejoining the others.

As they met back up with Pence and Olette, Pence elbowed Hayner good-naturedly. "So what was that about not losing to a girl from out of town?" he asked.

"Shut up, Pence," Hayner growled.

The next match was Seifer, who Kairi recognized from her first time in Twilight Town, against a small boy named Vivi, whose tall hat hid his face in shadow and complimented his wizard-esque outfit. The match was good to watch, with Vivi's agility and unique spinning combos keeping it from being a total massacre, but Seifer's age, experience, and outright strength was proven superior to Vivi's spunk. Seifer won in a landslide.

* * *

After a few more matches, Seifer stepped up to the platform for the semifinal round against the redheaded outsider. As he watched her prepare, he had to admit that she was easy on the eyes. But a dull throbbing in the bridge of his nose reminded him of their first encounter, and he was determined to win this.

"Don't think just because you danced around chicken wuss that you'll take me down, girly," Seifer taunted.

"I don't have to thin anything," she replied evenly. "I know that I'll take you down."

Seifer's eyebrows shot up. She knew something about trash talk, huh? Must have grown up around boys. When the bell tolled, Seifer prepared to surge forward, grinning as his opponent held her bat behind her back. He swung with all of his strength … and met only air. The chick had done the same to him as she had done to Hayner, simply moved out of the way.

Seifer cried out and kept swinging, each of his attacks missing by inches. It was like fighting a silk scarf. Finally, she stopped moving, once again repeating her match with Hayner and blocking his strike. "Ugh, it's like hitting a wall," Seifer spat. The girl smiled at him, an expression that would have been friendly if her gaze weren't so icy.

With a flick of her wrist, Seifer's bat was jerked from his grip to fly across the platform. On instinct, Seifer followed it trail through the air … and his distraction led to a blow against the side of his head. And the rain of strikes that followed didn't let up until he was on the ground with no orbs to his name.

Suddenly angry, Seifer lurched to his feet and lunged for his bat, scooping it up and facing the redhead … only for the timer to run out. The girl smiled and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave before handing her orbs over to the proctor and rejoining her group.

'That little-' Seifer thought savagely.

* * *

The final match was between Kairi and Setzer, the reigning champion; a match that Kairi won with as much ease as the others. Olette grinned as she remembered Kairi's comments about expecting more of a challenge. And though she had taken the champion belt, offering to hang it in the Usual Spot, Kairi had forgone the trophy.

With the tournament over, the crowd had gone crazy at the championship, all of the female spectators in particular cheering the hardest. It wasn't every day one of their own won the Struggle tournament, especially by such a wide margin. She had a feeling that next year's bracket would include a lot more girls.

As per tradition, the gang had gotten sea-salt ice cream before heading back to the Usual Spot. As they walked the streets, taking the scenic route at Olette's insistence, Pence finally made his move.

"So Kairi, are you finally gonna tell us your story?" he asked.

Kairi choked on her ice cream and blushed. "M-my story?" she asked.

"Yeah," he agreed. "You know, where you're from, how you got here, that stuff." He held up a disapproving finger. "And don't start with Old Man Sid being your uncle," he warned, even with a smile. "I know for a fact that it's not true."

"Pence!" olette scolded. "You've been investigating Kairi? She's our friend."

"Hey, I just want to know," he defended. "Something tells me it's a good story."

"And we all know how you are with stories," Hayner added. Pence could only shrug. It was true.

As they bantered, Kairi seriously considered Pence's point. They were her friends. And she knew she could trust them. Of course, she couldn't tell them about other worlds or anything, what with the "world order" and such (Yen Sid had been very clear about that). But, if she left out those details, maybe …

"You know what, Pence? You're right," Kairi said brightly.

"He is?" Olette asked.

"I am?" Pence asked.

Kairi nodded. "You guys are my friends. And it is a pretty good story, at least to me." Even if parts of it broke her heart at times. "Just try to keep it between us," she asked.

All three of them agreed and sped up the way to the Usual Spot. When everyone was sitting comfortably, their ice cream sticks thrown away, Kairi cleared her throat and shook off her nerves. "First off, it's kind of a long story. It starts in a place called 'Destiny Islands' ..."

* * *

On the islands themselves, a Corridor of Darkness opened up to reveal Axel. His nose may not have been as good as Zexion's had been, but he was good enough to tell one thing for sure.

Kairi, wherever she was, was not on this world.

Axel tapped his chin in thought, considering the implications of that. He recalled the Dusk's report from six months ago, something he had brushed off and forgotten with Roxas's continual erratic behavior and eventual defection. Kairi had made it off world, and not for any short length of time.

So where had she been the last six months? Or maybe even longer? The Organization had not kept tabs on her, likely assuming she wouldn't be able to get off-world. For a moment, he sort of (not really) regretted not reporting to Saix with that piece of information. But that not-regret was smothered by the fact that he had followed in Roxas's footsteps and rebelled.

Roxas. With Kairi in the wind, it was going to be even harder to get his best friend back. But now wasn't the time to panic; it was the time to plan. Okay, think. Where would Kairi go? After a moment's deliberation, he remembered reading that Kairi had originally been from Radiant Garden, same as he and Isa. That was as good a place to look as any. And if that failed, he'd have to keep looking.

With a wave of his hand, Axel opened another Corridor, headed for Hollow Bastion. Rather than be daunted, he somehow relished the challenge this presented. And another thought about the Dusk's report gave him an idea. If Hollow Bastion was a bust, maybe she'd be back in Twilight Town.

* * *

As Axel moved through the Realm of Darkness, he didn't notice someone familiar watching him. A figure draped in the cloak of the Organization treaded silently, observing. He'd had a feeling that Axel might do something rash to get to Sora, and therefore Roxas. He'd even considered sending the king's dog, Pluto, to guide her away from danger.

But Kairi hadn't been home.

That more than anything had stunned Riku. In his narrow focus to help Sora, had he really neglected his other lifelong best friend? No, he'd checked in with Namine about her all the time. But Namine had never mentioned that Kairi had left Destiny Islands. Had she not thought it important? Or had she deliberately hidden it?

Really, it didn't matter. Because wherever she was, Riku knew a way to find her. Stepping out of a Corridor and to the Organization's world, Riku found Pluto sitting despondently. The dog's ears perked up at his arrival and he barked happily.

"Pluto," Riku said firmly, using his "Ansem" voice out of habit, "I have a job for you." Pluto barked again, eager to be of service to any friend of his beloved master.

 **Once again a long wait; sorry guys!**

 *** The "glyph" on the table in the mansion library was the real-world version of the mural Roxas completed to gain access to Ansem's lab. Kairi didn't understand its incompleteness because its a piece of advanced science, not magic.**

 ***Anyone else ever wonder what Namine was doing in the time between Riku letting her go and her arriving to rescue Kairi in The World that Never Was? We won't be getting a look at the details here, but I wanted to give at least a general idea.**

 ***In writing Kairi's Struggle matches, I kept in mind the idea of a veteran KH2 player starting the game from the beginning. I can't tell you how many times I've blown through the tournament without taking a hit! What with Kairi's skills, I figure that's a pretty good analogy. **And if any of you haven't guessed, I don't care for Seifer - just saying.**

 ***As for Pence's attitude, I figure he's a smart guy who has a knack for puzzles. He's been trying to figure Kairi out and now he wants to know for sure. He's not being a jerk (intentionally), he's just really curious. Take it from me, when a really curious person gets going, they can be a little insensitive. (Guilty!)**

 ***Yes, we're getting into KH2 canon (and Sora's journey is pretty much the same) but rest assured that some things will be different. And some things will be similar.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the next chapter! It's one I've been itching to write.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"What a romantic story," Olette sighed. Kairi smiled in reply, her cheeks pink. Aside from leaving out the fact that other worlds were out there, she'd been as honest as she could about everything that had happened.

"Hey, if you stick around, Sora's bound to show up," Pence said. When they'd interrupted her story to describe a "Sora" they had met, she'd been stunned. Kairi couldn't believe that the trio had met Sora! But, given Sora's endless friendliness, she had eventually come to terms with the fact that it was only a matter of time.

"Yeah, he said he's coming back," Hayner continued.

"Sooner rather than later, I hope," Kairi said.

"A year must be a long time to wait, huh?" Olette commented, her eyes soft with compassion.

"Too long," she agreed. Even if she hadn't exactly been standing on the beach waiting on him. "I learned a long time ago that simply waiting isn't good enough."

" _My thoughts exactly_!" Kairi shot from her seat at the voice that seemed to emanate from the air itself. It wasn't familiar, and her instincts were screaming at her that something was coming. Something bad. " _If you have a dream, don't wait. Act._ "

With a twinge in her heart as a warning, a Corridor of Darkness opened up to reveal a young man with spiky red hair and teardrop-shaped tattoos beneath his eyes, the cloak from Yen Sid's descriptions of Organization XIII draped over him. "One of life's little rules. Got it memorized?"

"Who are you?" Hayner demanded, moving to stand next to Kairi, as did Pence and Olette.

"Name's Axel," the man said. "I happen to be an acquaintance of Sora's." Kairi narrowed her eyes at this "Axel's" words. She had always been decent at telling truth from lies, and she had the feeling that Axel wasn't … lying, per se. But he wasn't telling the whole truth, even without the Black Coat he wore.

"Why don't we go see him?" Axel asked, offering a hand to Kairi.

Kairi put a hand behind her back, readying a Blizzaga, when everyone's attention was drawn by a big yellow dog bounding into the Usual Spot. He jumped up to Kairi before moving back with a happy bark, chasing his tail in the limited space. Then the dog froze as silvery forms, Nobodies, manifested around the group. The dog bound for the entrance and barked, clearly urging Kairi to follow him.

"We've got something in common, Kairi," Axel said. "You and I both miss someone we care about." He smiled, the expression hollow, and shrugged his shoulders as the Dusks closed in. "Hey ... I feel like we're friends already."

Kairi looked to Olette, who gave the faintest of nods. With that, Kairi bolted for the door, casting barehanded Blizzagas at Axel. Both spells connected, the Nobody clearly not expecting her to use force, much less magic. Even less than that, such advanced magic.

"You're not acting very friendly," Kairi called over her shoulder.

As she ran down the steps at the far end of the alley, Kairi thought over her options. There was no way any member of a group that Yen Sid considered dangerous would give up after two quick spells. And there was no doubt in her mind that he'd resort to force to get his hands on her, for whatever reason.

If she was right, they wanted her as bait for Sora. The very thought made her almost sick with guilt, worry, and a splash of anger. But she wasn't a helpless little girl anymore, or a fragile receptacle for a pure heart. She was a Keybearer!

After another minute she arrived at the Station Plaza, the biggest open space she could think of in Twilight Town. And the most deserted, keeping people out of harm's way. Kairi skidded to a halt and began to center herself, to prepare to fight. She quickly checked the Star Shard in her pouch, finding it lifeless.

Well, seems fleeing was not an option. Just as well.

The dog, which had apparently followed her lead, caught up and barked happily, wagging its tail. Kairi giggled and gave him a pet. But the now-familiar sound of Nobodies appearing brought her back to reality.

As she prepared more magic, Kairi decided to keep her Keyblade in reserve. Her use of magic had obviously surprised Axel, which meant he didn't know about her training. And if he didn't know about that, he didn't know about her Keyblade. And any surprise would be a welcome advantage if used properly.

As one, the surrounding Dusks writhed, like springs ready to snap. They all lashed forward, forcing her to jump to avoid them. A string of Firaga spells blasted them to thorns of Nothingness that faded away just as quickly. Another wave of Nobodies was destroyed by Thundaga, another by Absolute Zero.

Before she could congratulate herself, she picked up the sound of another Corridor opening and closing. She turned to find Axel smirking at her. "Well, well. Guess I can't blame Sora for teaching you a few tricks. And it looks like you've picked 'em up pretty well." With swirls of flame, he summoned a pair of spiked disks, weapons she vaguely remembered as "chakrams" from a book in Yen Sid's library.

"But there's a difference between being a self-taught dabbler and one of us, Princess," he said lowly. "Maybe it's time you experience the dark side to any 'adventure'."

Axel rushed forward, bringing his weapons to bear and giving Kairi no opening to dodge. Faster than thought, she summoned a Barrier, shattering it as he struck to blast him backward. She followed up with another pair of Blizzagas, assuming it would counteract his clear affinity with fire.

But Axel's quick movements slashed her spells out of the air, leaving slush in their wake that evaporated into mist. "Look, Kairi, I really don't wanna hurt you. And I was serious about taking you to see Sora. Just come quietly and I promise you'll be back home before you know it."

"I don't know what you have planned for me, or for Sora, but I won't let you use me as bait," Kairi replied heatedly.

Axel sighed and readied himself for another charge. With his chakrams ablaze, he rushed forward and swung — only to be stopped by Destiny's Embrace. Kairi grunted as she checked his attack, her arms trembling as they absorbed the force of his two-handed blow. Axel disengaged and leapt back, his eyes wide with shock.

'So much for keeping it a secret," Kairi thought wryly. But she couldn't fight an armed mage without a weapon of her own. At least now she didn't have to hold back!

With a flick of her Keyblade, Kairi brought down a string of Thundagas before darting forward to catch Axel off guard. Her swing missed him by inches as he vanished into thin air, avoiding both her and her magic. In a moment of insight, Kairi spun around and set Destiny's Embrace into a guard position — just in time to block his strike from behind.

Kairi forced both of their weapons up and lashed out with a kick, hitting square in Axel's stomach before forcing him away and jumping back for distance. Delving into her magic, she cast a Glacier spell to freeze him in a sphere of ice. And, surprisingly enough, the spell connected, encasing Axel in translucent ice.

Kairi swallowed thickly between light pants. "Is that it?" she asked. Her answer was thick cracks suddenly forming in the ice, accompanied by a rising faint orange glow. With a burst of flames, the prison exploded. Kairi cast an instinctive Barrier, but any shards of ice evaporated before they could hit her.

As she lowered the Barrier, Axel was slumped over, breathing heavily. After a few moments, he looked up with an ugly sneer. "Nice trick," he spat and once again summoned his chakrams. "But play time's over."

The words had barely left his mouth before he vanished again. Before she could do anything, Kairi yelped as she was knocked into the air. Before she could get her bearings, Axel appeared above her and slammed his weapons into her, sending her hurtling back toward the Plaza.

A quick Aero softened her landing, but Axel didn't stop. On pure intuition, Kairi ducked underneath a swing from his chakram, deflecting another with a flick of her Keyblade. As he kept coming, it was all she could do to defend herself. And each blow battered at her defenses, slowing her down bit by bit. In some far corner of her mind that wasn't consumed by flight-or-fight, she realized that all of her fights against Heartless barely prepared her for this — for an opponent that thought and planned. Whose experience far dwarfed her own.

With a final slash, Axel knocked Destiny's Embrace from her grasp to send it flying across the Plaza to fade away into motes of Light. Kairi grunted as Axel grabbed her by the back of her neck, lifting her off the ground as she struggled. "You really should have picked the easy way," he panted.

Kairi remained silent … and kicked her heel backward and into him. He dropped her with a strangled yelp, allowing her to dart away and face him with her resummoned Keyblade in hand. She was briefly sorry she hadn't hit him below the belt, but she'd take what she could get.

Axel growled and rushed her, but she had a plan. Taking a standing leap, Kairi conjured a platform of magic — Doubleflight, the spell was called — to get more altitude as she harnessed her inner Light. With an ominous glow, Kairi turned in the air and let loose her power with a cry of exertion. Keychains, shining like gold in the sunset, burst from the tip of her Keyblade and flew like a spinning net toward Axel.

Maybe he was stunned from the sight of her spell or maybe he was tired, but he didn't move fast enough. The Keychains lashed around him, binding him from head to toe to fall against the tiles of the Plaza.

Axel struggled against the Keychains for a few moments before relaxing completely. "There's no way you learned all this on your own. And you've been sighted here before …" Axel shifted his head up to look her straight in the eye. "You've found a teacher, haven't you?" Kairi paled and took a step back in surprise. How'd he figure it out so quickly?!

"At least I know I'm right," he smirked.

And not a half-second after he said so, Axel's smirk dropped, replaced by a look of sheer terror. With redoubled efforts and conjured fire, he strained against the Keychains … which blasted apart in a conflagration of flames. But rather than attack her again, Axel turned his back to her and summoned his chakrams.

"Kairi, run!" he shouted. And there was no mistaking the panic in his voice.

A Corridor of Darkness swirled open to reveal another figure in a Black Coat, this one's face shrouded in its hood. "Beaten by a little girl," the figure said, his voice hardly above an emotionless drone. "My how the mighty have fallen, Axel." With a snap of his fingers, massive Nobodies unlike any she'd ever seen appeared and took hold of her wrists, preventing her from attacking.

Kairi channeled her magic and struck them down with Thundaga before facing the new threat. The hooded figure paid her no mind as it turned to Axel. "I'll give you a ten second head start. I suggest you use it wisely." After a moment of hesitation, Axel dismissed his weapons and conjured his own Corridor. Before it closed he turned and looked to her. "I mean it, Kairi. Run!" And with that, the Corridor closed.

The figure turned to her and summoned a massive weapon that she vaguely recognized as a claymore. "You stood firm against Axel, Kairi. And for that I'll repeat his warning. You are no match for me. Come quietly and I assure you that you will be reunited with Sora."

Kairi grit her teeth, both in anger and in preparation for magic. "And I'll tell you what I told him: go to the gulls."

Taking a leaf from Axel's book, she cast her spells almost before she had finished speaking. She cast Zero Gravity, sending the hooded man floating, followed by Gravity that sent him slamming into the ground. While he was stunned, she focused and prepared Absolute Zero, bombarding him with frozen strikes before blasting him with explosions of arctic air in her favorite Shotlock.

While he was off-balance, she charged her Keyblade with Light and rushed in for an Ars Arcanum — only to have her strike stopped in its path by his weapon held in a guard position. Within the shadows of his hood, Kairi caught sight of a pair of burning orange eyes. Familiar eyes … that sent a chill up her spine and pooled dread like a weight in her gut.

With a strike like lightning, Kairi was sent hurtling across the Plaza to crash into the steps of the Train Station. Before she could even begin to get past the nausea and dizziness, she felt a vise around her neck as he lifted her up to leave her toes dangling above the tiles.

"I am not Axel. I am not soft like him," the man assured quietly. "And whether you like it or not, you will serve the Organization's plans." Kairi whimpered against the feeling of Darkness rising up in a Corridor that swallowed them. In the last instant before it closed, she saw the gang rushing toward them.

'Sorry, guys,' she thought vaguely as she fell into the depths of unconsciousness.

* * *

Pluto growled as the cloaked-man carried the nice-redhead-girl into the dark-hole-in-nothing. Like all dogs, Pluto was unwaveringly loyal to his friends. At the top of that list was his master, Mickey. And as such, Mickey's friends were Pluto's friends, such as the duck-wizard and the goofy-knight. The silvery-blind-boy had been added recently, and he had sent him to look after the nice-redhead-girl.

All of this passed through Pluto's head in an instant as he bolted for the dark-hole-in-nothing. Every time he jumped in them, some part of him knew it was dangerous. But he was strong enough to resist the danger, he was beyond sure. No danger would keep him from being a Good Dog.

Pluto leapt and passed through just as the dark-hole-in-nothing closed up and plummeted into the cold-bad-rainbow-place. He'd done this before, too. He sniffed and found the nice-redhead-girl's scent. With loping strides that were silent in the cold-bad-rainbow-place, he followed until the cloaked-man opened another hole. As he tossed the nice-redhead-girl in, Pluto barked and leap, sailing past him and into what looked like a silvery cell.

For added measure, Pluto turned and barked at the cloaked-man, growling as threateningly as he could. Rather than fear, Pluto smelled nothing come from this man. Except maybe annoyance. But he closed the dark-hole-in-nothing, and that was all that mattered.

With that done, Pluto turned back to the nice-redhead-girl and gently nosed her. She barely stirred, but at least she would be okay. The dog trotted in a tight circle and plopped down to wait.

He hoped Mickey got here soon.

* * *

From the window of his quarters, Yen Sid gazed at the stars, sweat beading his brow as he focused on divining current events. If he wasn't mistaken, Sora had just discovered the very thing that left the old sorcerer so torn.

His apprentice had been captured by the Organization.

Yen Sid's scrying crystal had activated as soon as the spells he had placed on Kairi had sensed the presence of a humanoid Nobody. He had witnessed the battle between Kairi and the one called Axel, and had been proud of how she had handled herself. But then the other one had appeared, had frightened Axel so badly as to flee. And then he had taken Kairi.

And Yen Sid had done nothing to stop it.

He clenched his fingers over the stone blocks that formed his window sill. The logical part of him knew it was not his place. He was retired for a reason; the new generation had to handle themselves. Even if the threat of Xehanort was from closer to his own generation.

But the other side of him didn't care. She was his apprentice, his responsibility! And he had clearly failed her. What kind of Master was he, retired or no, that he couldn't teach a young Bearer to defend herself?

A gentle popping sound and the sudden presence of magic, that rivaled if not equaled his own, arose, and Yen Sid closed his eyes and pushed down his irritation at being interrupted. After what he had seen, he was not in the mood for visitors, even from those of his own kind.

"Merlin," Yen Sid greeted with some shred of civility.

"Yen Sid, good sir. A pleasure as always," the old wizard replied.

"What do you want?" Yen Sid asked, still not facing him.

"To set things straight before you do something we'll all regret," Merlin scolded. At his tone, Yen Sid finally turned to face him, and it took all of Merlin's fortitude to not even flinch. Merlin was powerful, he had _earned_ the title of Worlds' Most Powerful Wizard, but Yen Sid was likely just as strong and skilled. And yet at times, neither these things, nor age and experience, could sway the heart.

"And just what do you think I will do?" Yen Sid asked gravely. The very tower seemed to echo his hidden fury, the stones groaning ominously.

"I don't _think_ anything," Merlin answered. "But I can see, even without the Sight, that you are seriously considering launching an attack at the Organization's stronghold yourself." The groaning of stones seemed to ease a bit; clearly he had been right on the mark.

"And you disagree with this hypothetical action?" Yen Sid asked. Rhetorically — he already knew the answer.

"Of course I disagree, you fool!" Merlin barked. His shoulders slumped as he regained control of himself. "We're both rather old, you and I. As much as I hate to admit it." He snorted to himself as he recalled Cid's very comments on his age mere minutes before. "It is not our place to solve every problem."

"I am her Master," Yen Sid said lowly. "It is my duty to prepare her."

"To prepare her," Merlin pointed out (literally pointing his cane at the sorcerer). "Not, in fact, to coddle her." Merling returned his cane to the ground. "Allow me a bit of rhetoric. Do you honestly believe that when Arthur became king of Camelot that I didn't want to journey with his armies? To bring my power to bear against the armies that threatened my ward? To heal any of his injuries with a snap of my fingers and send him home to rule in peace?" Yen Sid narrowed his eyes at the wizard. "Of course I did. But-" he held up a finger, "as you're well aware, it is not our place to do such things."

Yen Sid grimaced and settled into his high-backed chair, absently conjuring another for his guest.

"And if I might give another observation: You never went through this struggle when King Mickey took up his duty as a Keybearer."

Oh he had, he'd just been better at rationalizing it, had more easily forced himself to see the bigger picture. So what was this so hard with Kairi?

"Perhaps it pertains to her gender?" Merlin asked.

"No," Yen Sid replied, with utter sincerity. While women had sadly been something of a minority among the first order of Keybearers, he had never in his life thought they were in any way ill-equipped or inferior. Master Aqua's power, if nothing else, had been testament to that, no matter her fate.

"So what then?" Merlin asked.

Yen Sid was silent for quite some time as he allowed his anger to drain away, to make way for calmness. He turned over everything he had felt and everything he knew about the rising conflict.

"She's a child," he finally answered. "The worlds are being championed by children, by those who by all rights should have nothing to do with such things. Yet."

"And yet fate has chosen them," Merlin pointed out. "As powerful as we are, Yen Sid, you must know that even we must bow to forces greater than ourselves." He grinned beneath his long beard. "And even in our great age, we must be reminded of that from time to time."

Yen Sid sniffed a quick laugh. "Or perhaps it is because of our great age that we must be reminded of it," he mused.

Merlin drummed his fingers against his cane in faint annoyance. "Possible. Though I sincerely hope otherwise."

Yen Sid stood and returned to his spot at the window. After a moment's hesitation, he finally asked the question he had been wrestling with since Merlin's arrival. "Will they be alright?" he asked.

Merlin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Prophecy was a fickle Art, even for someone like him. And telling of such things was quite tricky. Destiny tended to look down upon mortals knowing too much. But Merlin took the plunge and Looked into the future. He saw many faint possibilities, but each of them led to one in particular. The old wizard smiled.

"You have met young Sora, I believe. Now, having met him, do you honestly believe he will give up on the worlds?" 'Or on her?' he thought.

Yen Sid quirked a faint grin as he remembered the impressions he had felt rolling off of that boy. "No," he said. "No, I do not."

Nor did he doubt Kairi's equal resolve. It was all he could do as her Master to have trained her as best he could in the time he had been given. He had faith in her; she now had the tools to back her will.

She would fight — and she would win. Of that he was beyond certain.

* * *

Kairi groaned as her awareness slowly returned, bracing herself against nausea that likely meant a concussion. Without thinking, she cast a faint Cure spell upon herself, the magic washing away her aches and suppressing her headache. Had she been more cognizant, she would have been thrilled with herself at finally mastering unthinking magic.

Then again, had she been more cognizant, it still wouldn't be the time for celebration.

Kairi's eyes fluttered open, bright light piercing her vision like spears. She flinched back and rubbed her eyelids with the heels of her hands before trying again. Her surroundings came into focus to reveal what looked like a prison cell composed of panels of a strange purple material resembling stone. The back of the cell was lit by spotlights shining from the ground beside the wall, opposite a grid of metallic bars.

Kairi jumped as something rubbed against her side, which turned out to be the yellow dog that had helped her back in Twilight Town. A quick check of his collar tag revealed the name "Pluto".

"Well, Pluto," Kairi said sardonically. "What have we gotten into here?"

 **I proudly present the fight we were tragically denied in KH2!**

 ***I based Axel's fighting style on both KH2 and CoM; hope I did him justice. As for Kairi, I tried to balance her hard-earned skill with the fact that she'd never been in a fight against a strategic opponent, only Heartless.**

 ***Saix's part was based on dialogue in KH2. clearly he was able to take Kairi from Axel after he took her from Twilight Town, but we never saw that. And the ten-second head start is my own personal head canon.**

 ***I originally wrote this in the Sandlot, like a parallel to Roxas's first "fight" against Axel. But I liked the symbolism of the Station plaza better. (We miss you, Xion!)**

 ***"Go to the gulls" is my personal take on an insult from an island chain like Destiny Islands. It basically means "go to hell".**

 ***I tried to write Pluto's thoughts different from humans'. More simple, but more direct and to-the-point. How'd I do?**

 ***I wanted to get out some thoughts on why Yen Sid has never directly acted in KH. My thought is that, like in birth by Sleep, he wants to leave each generation to deal with its own problems. If he keeps bailing them out, they won't grow and rise to the occasion. And I liked writing him and Merlin; I feel they have a great professional respect for one another, even if their personalities clash a bit. **And I wanted to show that Yen Sid truly has faith in Kairi; even with his desire to keep her safe, he's going to let _her_ rise to the occasion. **

**Hope you all liked it! And sorry for the month-long absence. Sadly, this story is winding down. But even with these links to KH2 storyline, things WILL diverge! How? You'll see. ***If you have a remaining Organization member you'd like to see Kairi square off against, leave a comment or PM me. NOT guaranteeing it'll go in, but inspiration can strike from anywhere. Thanks for reading - and see ya'll next time!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Kairi focused on her breathing, arms out and palms flat with her back straight and her feet together. As she exhaled, she moved through the next set of motions that she had long committed to memory. Tai chi, as it turned out, was more than a martial art; it was a way to relax, to rebalance the body and relieve stress.

And after her disastrous first few hours in this cell, she needed all the stress relief she could get.

After her weak attempt at joking with Pluto, Kairi had summoned Destiny's Embrace and pointed it at the bars of her cell. A part of her had hoped to see the tell-tale glimmer and beam of light that meant her cell would be unlocked and she could make her escape as soon as possible. But when the Keyblade had remained silent, she'd immediately realized why.

There was no door to unlock. There was no crease in the walls, no separation between the bars, and no lock keeping them shut. It was just a solid room with bars on a window facing a hallway. The perfect cell for the bearer of a weapon that could unlock anything.

When unlocking the non-existent doors had failed, Kairi had tightened her grip and swung at the bars of her cell with all of her might. To her frustration, it hadn't even left a scratch on the strange metal. She'd followed up with a continued assault, hoping that if she kept up the pressure it might wear down the metal. Still nothing.

She'd next focused on the walls. They were clearly more thick than the bars, which at least had spaces in between, but it gave her a wider area to work on. And, like the bars, the purplish stone hadn't even borne a mark from her efforts.

Next, of course, came magic. She'd slung every spell she could at both the bars and the walls, resting to replenish her inner magic whenever necessary. Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Graviga, Zero Graviga, Aeroga, she'd cast them all with exactly the same results as her physical tries. She'd even thought of using science against them and cast her strongest Triple Firaga before her strongest Triple Blizzaga — metal that was rapidly heated and then rapidly cooled would turn brittle. But a heavy swing from her Keyblade had left exactly the same result.

After it had become abundantly clear that she couldn't force her way out, Kairi was ashamed to admit that she had begun to succumb to despair. Darkness may not have a foothold in her heart, and never would, but that didn't mean she was immune to low points of the spirit. She sunk to her knees and closed her eyes as reality crashed down on her.

All she'd been able to think about was that Sora, and presumably Riku, knew about her kidnapping. Sora, definitely, would stop at nothing to find her — and that's exactly what the Organization wanted. In spite of all her efforts, all her training, all of Yen Sid's teachings, she was still a burden. Worse, she was _bait_!

But as soon as the tears had begun to pool in her eyes, a soft pressure on her shoulder had jerked her from her despair. Pluto, who had been remarkably silent during her escape attempts, rested his head on her lap and whined, the sound one of support rather than fear. Looking into those big puppy-dog eyes, that inexplicably reminded her of Sora, she'd found it in herself to chuckle and scratch his head.

And so here she was, following the motions of the book from Land of Dragons to keep herself calm. When she wasn't doing this, she'd been going through her Keyblade forms, keeping herself sharp for the inevitable time when she'd get out. Whether her jailors made a miscalculation or Sora or Riku stormed the castle, she'd get out.

And she'd be ready to finally fight alongside her friends!

* * *

Namine exhaled slowly as she lifted from her trance. Her eyelids fluttered open to find herself overlooking the majesty of a colossal waterfall that poured into the vibrant jungle below. Of all the worlds she had visited, Deep Jungle was probably the most beautiful.

Namine's faint smile faded as she looked down at what she had drawn. The purple walls and metal bars of an Organization dungeon cell. Kairi had been captured as bait for Sora, to enrage him and push him to destroy more and more Heartless.

Namine struggled with herself for a brief moment before laying back on the grass. Whether or not she really had any choice, she would make one for herself. She'd made a promise to Roxas … and it was high time she kept it. Clutching her sketchbook for support, Namine lifted an open hand and summoned a Corridor of Darkness. Steeling herself, she walked forward into its icy embrace.

She walked not toward her fate … but toward her _choice_.

* * *

Kairi didn't know how long she had been here. The resilience of the walls kept her from making tally marks of her presumably three daily meals like she'd read about in stories, but she knew it had been quite a while.

Kairi caught a rubber ball she had made with magic that she had been bouncing off the walls. She held it out in front of Pluto, smiling faintly at the dog's unabashed enthusiasm, before tossing it for him to catch. Pluto barked and caught the ball with ease before it dissolved into purplish mist as the spell wore off.

Kairi groaned and held her head in her hands. She wasn't sure if it was boredom or the worry for Sora and Riku constantly in the back of her mind, maybe a bit of both, but she was really starting to go stir crazy. Pluto's ear shot up just before Kairi heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Trading a look with Pluto, she stood and rushed the the window of her cell. Saix was approaching, his cold look of disinterest just the same as when he had captured her.

"What are you planning to do with us?" Kairi asked, affecting a helpless, terrified air. Which, really, wasn't too far from the truth.

"You are the fire that feeds Sora's anger," Saix replied in monotone before walking away as if he had lost interest in her.

Kairi rested her head against the bars of her cell to think over her situation for the thousandth time. Saix's words, really, were nothing new. She'd figured out that she was bait when she'd gotten here. But … the fact that Saix was trying to push her emotions like this meant that Sora was probably close. She checked her blue bracelet on principle, then tried to keep thinking.

Her thoughts were halted by the feel of Darkness, followed almost immediately by Pluto's bark. Kairi whirled around to find … something she never would have expected. Pluto was looking at a Dark Corridor in the wall … and a a familiar young woman in a white sundress standing in it.

Kairi glanced down to her wrist, eyes wide at the sight of her white bracelet softly shining. The one the Three Good Fairies had chosen not to explain. 'When it needs too,' they had said.

"This way," the girl whispered urgently.

"Who …?" Kairi wasn't sure if she should trust someone in a Dark Corridor.

"Believe in yourself," the girl said. "Come on, hurry!"

Kairi's heart leapt at the girl's voice, that sense of familiarity growing. She approached the Corridor and took the girl's hand — and a brilliant light arose from their contact. Kairi shielded her eyes with her other hand, which distracted her from the chilled rush of passing Darkness.

When she opened her eyes, she, Pluto, and the mysterious girl were outside her cell. "We have to move," the girl insisted, running with Kairi in tow. After a few seconds, the girl yelped as Kairi pulled ahead, her training with Yen Sid paying off in spades.

"You bet we do," she agreed, determination in her eyes.

* * *

Mickey forced himself to focus past the urge to look back for his friends. But for the upteenth time, he shook the urge off and kept running. He trusted Donald and goofy, knew they could handle themselves. And then there was Sora, whose accumulated skill with the Keyblade and pure strength of heart would guide him past any and all obstacles.

Mickey summoned his Kingdom Key D and used it as a pole vault, launching himself into the air. With a deft kick, he climbed higher and landed on a balcony, rolling before continuing his arguably-mad dash. He trusted his friends — and he had his own job to do to prepare for the coming conflict.

As he turned a corner, Mickey skidded to a halt as he sensed a familiar presence. The pure Light of a Princess of Heart echoed through the halls of the Organization's stronghold. It seemed Kairi really was here.

Mickey smiled before resuming his hurried pace. In the back of his mind, he prayed to Kingdom Hearts that he would get the chance to see Kairi reunite with Sora. Not only was he a shameless romantic, as Minnie could attest, he really hoped to see how Sora reacted to the changes wrought by Kairi's tutelage under his former Master.

 _That_ would be a moment for the ages!

* * *

As the girls and dog continued to run through the halls of the castle, Kairi paused as she felt something strange arise in her seeming partner. She glanced back to find her … flickering? It turned out that she didn't have time to think on it, as the cold feeling of Darkness clutched her heart to herald a Corridor.

"Namine, there you are," Saix said, flanked by his massive personal Nobodies.

"Namine?" Kairi asked, the name more familiar than it should be. It tickled the back of her mind like a half-forgotten dream. Or forgotten vision, perhaps?

"Kairi," Saix interrupted, "I'm afraid leaving is not an option." He held out a hand to her, his expression as emotionless as ever. "I'll take you to see Sora," he added. Kairi clenched her fists as she carefully held back her temper, taking a step back. "You don't want that?"

"I do," she admitted, "more than you could ever know." Her eyes hardened as she summoned Destiny's Embrace. "But when I find him, you won't be there to see it." She assumed her combat strance, Namine preparing herself as well.

"If I had a heart, this would be where I die of laughter," Saix noted.

Kairi prepared herself to attack … and stopped as another feeling of Darkness caught her heart's senses. But this was different. It wasn't harsh or oppressing. Cold, yes, but more of a comforting autumn chill than the invasive cold of Heartless.

Saix looked back at the sound of a swinging blade to find his Berserkers collapsing, fading back into nothing, to reveal a figure in a Black Coat holding a gothic Keyblade. "You …" he growled. "Didn't Roxas take care of you?"

"You can take it from here, Riku," Namine said with a faint smile.

"Riku?" Kairi asked aloud, stunned by the revelation. The idea that Namine was lying never occurred to her. She knew it was truth in her bones and in her heart. And like a sign of fate, Kairi lifted her wrist to find the black band faintly glowing.

Riku ...

The coated figure dismissed his Keyblade in a flash of blue-white light and reared his hand back, thrusting forward to release a burst of blue Dark flames. Saix shielded himself from the dark spell, but it still blasted him into the air.

As he tried to reorient himself, Saix grunted at the impact of blazing white chains that slammed into him, sending him careening into the nearest castle wall. Kairi dismissed her Keychains and rushed forward, intent to do more than watch. So distracted, she didn't see Namine slip away.

Despite her speed, Riku got to Saix first, slamming him into the wall with crushing force. But Saix merely smiled ferally and opened a Dark Corridor to slip away. Riku braced himself to follow —

"Wait!" Kairi cried, barely restraining herself from casting another strand of Keychains to keep him from running. Riku paused, apparently torn. And then Pluto bounded forward, barking joyfully and gently herding him back away from the Corridor. He looked up at her, and Kairi took the plunge. She drew ever nearer, her eyes wide and searching.

"Riku, you're really here?" She took hold of his hood and pushed it back. She quirked an eyebrow at what she saw underneath. She definitely saw Riku — she'd know that angular face and those long, silver stands anywhere, even with his eyes obscured by a blindfold. But over his real face was the very faint image of Ansem. Was she seeing what was real underneath some kind of illusion?

But then, did it really matter?

She took Riku's hand and pulled him along. "Come on, Riku. Sora needs us."

* * *

Yen Sid watched the scrying image before him, the magic of Kairi's clothes acting as a focal point for his magic. His eyes narrowed at the sight of young Riku's appearance, the visage of Xehanort's Heartless. But Kairi seemed to see past that. 'Typical Kairi,' he thought wryly. 'Never so easily fooled.'

Yen Sid sat back and pushed more magic into the scrying. Whatever came next … he wanted to see every possible detail.

* * *

Kairi kept up the same pace she had with Namine. A part of her wondered where the blonde girl had wandered off to, but her heart knew one thing: they would meet again before they left this castle. With that reassurance, she kept running. After what may have been minutes or hours, she skidded to a halt as she caught something in the corner of her eye.

Her bracelet, the blue one, was glowing. That could only mean …

Kairi smiled wide and let Riku's wrist go, her heart singing as she ran for the upcoming chamber. She once again skidded to a halt, catching herself on railing, to find a massive atrium filled with Heartless. And down in the lowest floor, in the thick of it all like always, was Sora.

"Sora!" she couldn't help crying. Familiar spiky hair looked up, heart-wrenchingly familiar sapphire eyes catching hers. "It's you! You're here!" He was _here_!

She heard his distant cry of her name before a group of Shadows jumped him. That sight kicked her back from an awkward, helpless fourteen-year-old into the Keyblade apprentice she had become. "Oh, no you don't!" she spat. With the grace that had been beaten into her, she flipped over the railing and landed in a dancer's crouch, Destiny's Embrace blazing into her open hand.

Shadows surrounded her, closing in in a way that brought memories of Hollow Bastion to mind. But rather than fear, they only made her angry. In unison, just like a year ago, they leapt at her. But unlike before, she spun and slashed them out of the air in one fluid movement. She released a pent-up breath and relaxed just a bit.

"Where did that come from?" Riku asked, having appeared beside her.

Kairi grinned and hefted Destiny's Embrace over her shoulder. "You're not the only one that's been busy the past year," she answered. With practiced ease, she summoned light to the tip of her Keyblade and hurled a string of Pearls out to vanquish the Heartless that remained on the balcony.

"This time … I _will_ fight!" she declared, to Riku, the Organization, to Destiny Itself. Come paradise or damnation, she would fight for those she loved! She ran forward to leap into the level below, to help Sora, but was reflected by a barrier that sent her back to the ground. Kairi leapt to her feet and extended her magical senses, picking up the invisible outline of the Barrier spell.

A spell too large for her to break without serious preparation. Time for which she didn't have. Kairi bit back a string of words that would have made her parents scold her, fighting to rein in her temper. The fact that it had been fraying so badly may be a cause for concern, but she would worry about that later. For now, Yen Sid's words on emotion, that they were fuel for greater magic, rang true. She just had to properly channel it.

Kairi forced herself to push aside her anger, to force it into a corner of her mind for later use. With that done, she looked around the atrium to think of another way to help. Heartless swarmed all over the walls and upper floors, ready to descend upon Sora and his friends, or her and Riku.

Wait a moment …

Kairi closed her eyes, the sounds of Riku covering her back ignored like everything else, and once again called on her sense of magic. But rather than focus toward the Barrier, she focused on herself. Or, more accurately, the clothes she had been given.

Kairi let out a shaky breath at the complexity of the enchantments on her clothes. If she hadn't believed it before, she would have certainly been convinced now — the Good Fairies were masters of their craft. The enchantments were like a tapestry, each one linking with its fellows in a subtle work of art.

Moving past that, Kairi examined each part closely. The enchantments were not human-wrought, and so would not be the same as something Yen Sid would have created. But after a few moments, she smiled to herself as she found the knot that tied a specific spell together right over her heart. The spell that hid her from the forces of Darkness.

Such as the Heartless.

With careful brushes of will, she loosened the enchantment, allowing her Light to escape. With that done, she focused on her heart and brought forth her power, as if she were casting a Pearl or a Keychain. She breathed deeply as she felt her light suffuse her body, opening her eyes to find herself literally glowing with golden-white Light.

As one, all of the Heartless around the atrium froze and turned toward her in a movement that was disturbing in its uniformity. And with that same oneness, the Heartless charged along the floors and walls for her position.

"I hope you're ready, Riku," she said, steeling herself against the oppressive feeling of so much Darkness closing in. She hefted her Keyblade and set her stance, reaching inward for her magic. The Heartless were coming.

"Bring it on!" she shouted.

* * *

"Get off!" Sora shouted, tossing the Shadows from off of him. He looked up at where he had last seen Kairi to find … oh, wow. Kairi was glowing — literally glowing with power. And … Ansem, or Xehanort's Heartless, was standing beside her, gothic blade at the ready, as if ready to fight alongside her against a massive tide of Heartless.

"What's going on?" he asked aloud.

A resounding click echoed through the chamber. Sora leapt back as a red crystalline bullet landed next to him. He looked up and barely had time to gasp before a hail of such bullets rained down upon the platform, destroying every single Heartless in sight.

"Have you been a good boy?" asked a familiar voice, one he had last heard in the Land of Dragons.

"Show yourself!" Sora demanded.

 **New chapter. Sorry about the long wait, ya'll. Between summer classes, a halt in inspiration for this fic, and getting sucked into a new one, it took me a long time to finish off this chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint.**

 ***I'm assuming the Organization's prison cells were made to hold beings of their caliber, which includes Kairi's new skills.**

 ***I was always a little saddened that copyright laws basically forced KH canon to ignore/forget about Deep Jungle. Here's a bit for** **nostalgia's** **sake.**

 ***Mickey was able to sense Kairi because her clothes a designed to block the senses of those attuned to Darkness. It holds no problem for a Light sensing another. **I also like the idea of mickey as a romantic soul.**

 ***In my mind, Kairi is aware to some degree of Riku's transformation. She can see through it, but she didn't seem surprised when Sora called him "Ansem - I mean - Xehanort's Heartless." This is my take on that.**

 **Really hope everyone likes it! To quote Doctor Strange: "We're in the endgame, now." This fic only has a few more chapters. Fair tidings!**


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